Exposing Adultery to the Light | Gentle Reformation

I once spoke with a man who, by his marital unfaithfulness, had — from a human perspective — ruined not only his marriage and family, but his whole life. As we talked about the wreckage of his sin, he told me the day his wife discovered his adultery, was “the darkest day of my life.”

I suggested he reconsider that assessment. That day was not the darkest day of his life, but may have been one of the brightest — because it was the day when the light exposed the darkness of his deceit and hidden sin. The real darkness had not been his wife learning the truth. The real darkness had been the secrecy, deception, and moral compromise that thrived unseen until the light of truth exposed how dark the darkness truly was.

It isn’t easy to have God’s light expose our sin. But as Christians, we must learn to love the light. It’s the evidence of a reprobate mind to hate the light and love darkness, and it’s evidence of a sanctified mind to hate the darkness and love the light.

In a society saturated with sexual immorality — in entertainment, media, politics, and even churches — our moral instincts have become really desensitized. Few of us hate adultery with the seriousness it deserves. If we are to recover a biblical hatred for this sin and a biblical love for holiness and purity, we must shine God’s light on adultery from several angles.

First, to expose the darkness of adultery we need to shine the light on the unity of marriage. Adultery isn’t difficult to define. Biblically, it refers to a sexual relationship with a married person who is not one’s spouse. Whether both parties are married or only one is married, the sin is the same.

But notice something important: adultery only exists in the context of marriage. Where there isn’t marriage, there’s still sexual sin, but strictly speaking it’s not adultery. This means that to grasp the seriousness of adultery, we must understand the nature of marriage itself.

The heart of biblical teaching on marriage is not romance, fulfillment, compatibility, or even happiness. Those may accompany marriage, but they are not its defining essence. The defining reality of marriage is unity.

In Genesis 2:24, God declared that a man shall leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife, the two shall become one flesh. This “one flesh’ union makes marriage unlike any other human relationship. Children grow and leave. Friendships change. Vocations shift. But marriage establishes a permanent, covenantal unity between one man and one woman. They do not merely share affection or cooperation; they become one.

Because of this, Scripture calls all people — not only married couples — to honor marriage. Hebrews 13:4 declares, “Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled.” Every Christian bears responsibility to protect, respect, and preserve what God has joined together.

Adultery assaults this unity at its core. It seeks to separate that which the Spirit of God has joined together by an act of forbidden sexual union, violating the bodily stewardship God assigns to husband and wife (1 Cor. 7:4). It separates what God has joined together.

This is why Scripture treats adultery with such severity, even allowing it to be grounds for divorce — not because divorce is good, but because adultery is so violently destructive to marital unity. To minimize adultery is to misunderstand marriage itself.

Second, to expose the darkness of adultery we need to shine the light on its root. In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus says, “But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matt. 5:28).

The Pharisees focused narrowly on outward compliance. Jesus exposes the heart. The seventh commandment does not merely forbid physical acts; it confronts inward desires, affections, and intentions. Lust, which is sexual coveting, is itself sin.

This reveals something crucial: adultery is not an isolated moral failure. It is one fruit growing from a deeper root — the root of sexual immorality.

Scripture condemns all sexual immorality, not merely the most visible forms. Fornication, pornography, lustful fantasy, homosexuality, abuse, and adultery all spring from the same root: a rejection of God’s design for sexuality within covenant marriage.

Modern culture aggressively resists this clarity. Even within churches, many professing Christians are confused or compromised. For example, in as much as one can trust statistics, statistics suggest that upwards of 80% of young, unmarried Christians have sex before marriage. Some sincerely claim they did not know such activity was sinful. Yet the Scripture doesn’t lack clarity, “This is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality” (1 Thess. 4:3).
God does not calibrate holiness according to cultural norms, hormonal pressures, or social trends. His call is absolute: avoid all sexual immorality. There is no morally neutral sexual expression outside marriage.

Understanding this helps expose how adultery does not suddenly appear in a vacuum. It grows from tolerated lust, unchecked fantasy, unguarded boundaries, and compromised convictions. If the root is not confronted, the fruit will eventually appear.

Third, to expose the darkness of adultery we need to shine the light on consequences. Adultery carries devastating consequences. It wounds marriages, fractures families, destabilizes churches, and erodes trust in communities. Scripture consistently shows that sexual sin carries heavy temporal judgment.
David’s adultery with Bathsheba stands as a sobering example. Though God forgave David when he repented, the consequences remained: the death of his child, violence within his household, rebellion from his sons, and the collapse of peace in his reign (2 Sam. 12–18). His sin cast a long shadow over the remainder of his life.

But Jesus goes further than earthly consequences. He warns of eternal danger. If lust remains unchecked and unrepented, he says it is better to lose an eye or hand than for one’s whole body to be cast into hell (Matt. 5:29–30). These words are not exaggeration. Any sexual sin — including adultery — that is cherished rather than repented of leads to eternal destruction.

Again and again Scripture warns of this reality:

“The sexually immoral…will not inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Cor. 6:9–10).

“The wrath of God is coming” because of sexual immorality (Col. 3:5–6).

“God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous” (Heb. 13:4).

Sexual immorality stands among the sins that lead to final judgment (Rev. 21:8).

The gospel is gloriously merciful — but repentance is not optional. Persisting in unrepentant sexual sin while claiming Christ is self-deception. The stakes could not be higher.

We will never truly cherish the gospel until we understand the seriousness of the sin from which Christ saves us. Grace becomes cheap when sin becomes small. But when God’s light exposes the depth of our need, the mercy of Christ shines all the brighter.

Adultery thrives in secrecy, rationalization, and cultural accommodation. The church must resist all of this. We exposed the darkness of adultery by shining the light of God’s truth on the unity of marriage, the root of sexual immorality, and the devastating consequences of this sin. This exposure isn’t harshness, it’s love because the goal of exposing sin is not condemnation but redemption. The call of the gospel is not merely to avoid scandal but to love holiness, to cherish covenant faithfulness, to guard the heart diligently, and to walk openly in the light of Christ.

https://gentlereformation.com/2026/01/09/exposing-adultery-to-the-light/

Tidbits – January 2026 | Reformed Perspective

Thrill seeking

Ray Comfort is generally a pretty calm and tactful sort, but he has little patience for Christians who want to get a rush by jumping out of airplanes.

“If you’re a Christian and you are tempted to jump, instead of catering to your thrill-seeking ego, think of someone else other than yourself. Think of those who love you and those for whom you are responsible. This injudicious world doesn’t know any better. You should. Think of the more than 150,000 people who die every 24 hours, and if you want a thrill, get up on a soapbox and tell dying sinners how to find everlasting life. That will kill your ego.”

Illuminating humor

Q: How many actors does it take to change a light bulb?
A: Only one. They don’t like to share the spotlight.

Q: How many aerospace engineers does it take to change a light bulb?
A: None. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist, you know.

Q: How many visitors to an art gallery does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A: Two: one to do it and one to say “Huh! My four-year-old could’ve done that!”

Q: How many Dutchmen does it take to change a light bulb?
A: Change?

On “neutral” education

“Education without values, as useful as it is, seems rather to make man a more clever devil.”
– C. S. Lewis

What really matters in a marriage partner?

What really matters in a marriage partner? Is it looks? Looks fade. Is it a man’s ability to provide? Jobs and money can be lost. In his book Meaning of Marriage (pages 125-126) Tim Keller asks us to re-evaluate the way we evaluate potential marriage partners.

“Most of us know that there is some truth in the stereotype that men overvalue beauty and that women overvalue wealth in a potential mate. But if you marry someone more for these things than for friendship, you are not only setting yourself up for future failure – wealth may decrease and sexual appeal will decrease – but you are also setting yourself up for loneliness. For what Adam needed in the garden was not just a sexual partner but a companion, bone of his bones, and flesh of his flesh.

“If singles accepted this principle, it would drastically change the way people seek a marriage partner in our day. It is typical for a single person to walk into a room and see a number of people of the opposite sex and immediately begin to screen them, not for companionship but for attractiveness. Let’s say three out of ten look appealing. The next step is to approach those three to see what rapport there may be. If one of them will agree to go out on a date, and you get romantically involved, perhaps you will see if you can turn that person into a friend as well. This problem is many of your best prospects for friendship were likely among those you ruled out because they were too tall or too short, too fat or too skinny.

“We think of a prospective spouse as primarily a lover (or a provider), and if he or she can be a friend on top of that, well isn’t that nice! We should be going at it the other way round. Screen first for friendship. Look for someone who understands you better than you do yourself, who makes you a better person just by being around them. And then explore whether that friendship could become a romance and a marriage.”

Great warnings

Sign in store: “Unattended children will be given an espresso and a free kitten.”

Where are they, and what direction are they heading?

Douglas Wilson on two key questions to help us assess the state of public figures and private ones too:

“First, just as we evaluate individual lives by the video, and not by the snapshot, so also we should measure churches, denominations, seminaries, and so on, in the same way. In short, there are two fundamental questions to ask — the first is where are they? and the second is what direction are they headed?

“On a two-lane road between Heaven and Hell, two cars can be at the same place in the road, but still headed in completely opposite directions. To expand the illustration, one car can be closer to Heaven, but headed the wrong direction, and the same for another car closer to Hell, but outbound.”

Why public education can’t be neutral

“Obviously, the [public] schools are not Christian. Just as obviously, they are not neutral. The Scriptures say that the fear of the Lord is the chief part of knowledge; but the schools, by omitting all reference to God, give the pupils the notion that knowledge can be had apart from God. They teach in effect that God has no control of history, that there is no plan of events that God is working out, that God does not foreordain whatsoever comes to pass.

“Neutrality is impossible. Let one ask what neutrality can possibly mean when God is involved. How does God judge the school system, which says to him, ‘O God, we neither deny nor assert thy existence; and O God, we neither obey nor disobey thy commandments; we are strictly neutral.’ Let no one fail to see the point: The school system that ignores God teaches its pupils to ignore God; and this is not neutrality. It is the worst form of antagonism, for it judges God to be unimportant and irrelevant in human affairs. This is atheism.”
– Gordon H. Clark

The deniers

“If anyone could rationally be labeled a climate-change denier, it would be one of those who hold the absurd view that our climate was tranquil until we started to emit significant amounts of CO2.” – Tom Harris, executive director, International Climate Science Coalition.

Great warnings II

In Sigmund Brouwer’s The Lies of Saints, the hero, Nick, is helping out his friend Kellie who is laid up in the hospital, the victim of a particularly nasty car crash. Nick is a good friend, and the perfect gentleman – he knows she has a boyfriend, so he would never think to act on his attraction. Or so he thinks. But a pastor who knows both of them – the eighty-something Samuel Thorpe – is more than a little concerned. He knows that what a man intends can change quickly, given the wrong sort of circumstances. So when Nick pops by the pastor’s office for a visit, Pastor Thorpe decides this is the time for a needed, awkward conversation.

“‘It’s a ticklish business to be friends with a woman,’ Samuel said, ‘particularly one like Miss Kellie. She’s fine-looking, and smart and of good character. I’m certain you’re not blind to that. I doubt for that matter, that it’s escaped her notice that a woman could do worse than land a man like you. But as you mentioned, she’s in a committed relationship, Nick…. Now I’m not suggesting that you have or intend to do anything inappropriate. But it’s like driving a car. Good drivers aren’t the ones who can handle a car in a skid and keep it on the road. Good drivers are those who recognize when conditions are bad and take action not to get into trouble in the first place.’

“‘Kellie’s in trouble,’ Nick said. ‘She needs help. That’s all I’m doing.’

“‘You don’t have to justify your motives to me. Just beware of them yourself. All I’m saying is if there’s trouble way up the road, it’d be a lot better for you to see it coming and slow down before you reach it.’”

Deep dad thoughts

• Why are pirates called pirates? I don’t know – they just arrrrrr.
• I threw a boomerang months ago. Now I live in constant fear.
• Where do you take someone who has been injured in a peek-a-boo accident? The ICU
• I asked my son what he learned today, and he said: “Dutchmen like Sony, Scots like Yamaha, and Italians prefer Bose.” I looked down at my little man and just shook my head. “Son,” I told him, “don’t you know those are just stereo types?”
• How do flat-earthers travel? On a plane.
• I once got a job at a canned juice company, and got along great with everyone there, but they had to let me go because I just couldn’t concentrate.

Source: Tidbits – January 2026

‘Revoice’ Holds Conference at Gay Affirming PCUSA Church? | Protestia

‘Revoice’ Holds Conference at Gay Affirming PCUSA Church?

Revoice recently concluded their 2025 Build Conference, and we couldn’t help but notice they held it at University Presbyterian Church (UPC) in Seattle, WA, which highlights the schizophrenic theological nature of this congregation and consortium.

For more on Revoice:

Revoice Conference is Bringing Back the Roman Catholic Lesbian Who Praised X-Rated Gay BDSM Film
Revoice Founder Insists Christians Repent Of Signing Nashville Statement on Sexual Ethics
Revoice Introduces ‘Semi-Celibate Throuple’ to Christendom
So who are all the She/Her, They/Them, and He/Hims Speaking at Revoice?
Revoice Introduces ‘Semi-Celibate Throuple’ to Christendom
Two Years After Moving In, The ‘Revoice Throuple’ Makes Some Hard Choices: ‘I Don’t Really Want to Live with Kids’
Revoice Star Wesley Hill Feels No Need To Oppose ‘A Lot Of What I Find In Queer Theory’
Rosaria Butterfield Names Preston Sprinkle, Revoice, and CRU as Teaching Heresy on LGBTQ
Revoice President says Being Pro-Life Means Being Pro-Trans

UPC is led by both men and women, with both genders serving as elders, and is affiliated with the progressive PCUSA denomination—one of the most radical in the country. Whereas the church once had thousands in attendance, they’ve shrunk over the years, dipping from 5000 members to barely more than 600 showing up on a Sunday morning.

As far as their adherence to biblical sexuality, they are one of the few PCUSA churches who, at least on the surface, “teach that God gives marriage as a covenant between a woman and a man, and that marriage is the only appropriate context for sexual intimacy.”

This may seem like blessed relief, but it’s actually a curse, as they have a reputation for not speaking on hot-button issues like abortion and issues pertaining to marriage and sexuality, including LGBTQ issues.

Why? Because in the same breath as affirming a biblical worldview, their statement paper notes, “We hold this position firmly but respect our members and neighbors who disagree.” As a result, they “recognize that many of our members and neighbors identify as LGBTQ+, experience same-sex attraction, or are in same-sex marriages” and “recognize that we have differing understandings of the Bible among us.”

Because there are differing views, they “encourage everyone to grapple with the biblical texts for themselves, and work to appreciate one another’s views. We do not tolerate hostility towards LGBTQ+ people or their expressed understandings.”

Put another way, they welcome gay couples to attend and be members and participate fully in the life of the church, without fear of recrimination of judgement, while holding on paper the opposite view, which is then never preached about.

Come to think of it, given the gross confusion this represents and engenders, they are a perfect choice to host Revoice.

The post ‘Revoice’ Holds Conference at Gay Affirming PCUSA Church? appeared first on Protestia.

Feminist Infiltration and the Emasculation of Christian Men | Michelle Lesley

I hate radical secular feminism. I really do. Don’t get me wrong, I deeply appreciate the right to vote and own property. I think that men and women with the same amount of experience and education should be paid the same amount of money for doing the same job. And, I love seeing women study and develop their minds (particularly in the area of sound biblical doctrine.)

But what I don’t like is some of the methods that have been employed to achieve these things, the biblical values that have been sacrificed along the way, and the emasculating impact feminism has had on men.

Turn on any television show, watch a commercial, go to the movies, read the news, scroll through your social media feed, and examine the way men are generally viewed, spoken of, and being treated by others.

If a female character on a TV show slaps her husband or punches him in the arm, we laugh or sympathize with her anger, depending on the scenario, but if the roles were reversed we’d call the same behavior from a man abuse.

Men are frequently portrayed as bumbling incompetents as fathers, husbands, and employees, with a heroine mom, wife, or co-worker stepping in to save the day.

We see women wearing the pants in the family and treating their husbands like an extra child, and we see men who respond in kind: acting like children, obeying their wives’ commands, and, often, indulging in hours of childish pastimes, like video games, instead of working hard and caring for their families.

It’s not Father Knows Best anymore. It’s Father’s a Moronic Buffoon to Kick Around.

It’s not “Father Knows Best” anymore. It’s “Father’s a Moronic Buffoon to Kick Around”. And what’s alarming is that these attitudes have been creeping into the church for years.

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And what’s alarming is that these attitudes have been creeping into the church for years.

Just as women rebelled against the law and social conventions to gain equality with men, “Christian” women now rebel against Scripture by becoming pastors and instructing and holding authority over men in the church. (In fact, this has been going on so long that many in the next generation aren’t even aware that the Bible prohibits this.)

Just as men in secular society have stepped back to avoid being run over by headstrong women, or even joined them in their quest for female dominance, evangelical men have abdicated their God-given positions of leadership in the church and home, sometimes even joining women in their violation of Scripture by inviting them into unbiblical positions of leadership and by sitting under their teaching and preaching.

Those are the things that are overt and visible. But it’s happening on a more subtle level, too, even among complementarian men, women, and churches.

Have you ever heard a man attempt to praise his wife by saying, “I married up,” or “way up,” or “way over my head,” and then proceed to describe himself as, basically, a bucket of slime in comparison to his wife? Most of the men I’ve heard say this have been good, godly men, including my husband, who has made similar remarks in the past.

Have you ever heard a man attempt to praise his wife by saying, “I married up,” or “way up,” or “way over my head,” and then proceed to describe himself as, basically, a bucket of slime in comparison to his wife?

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I don’t know about the rest of you ladies, but I don’t want to hear anyone putting my husband (or any of my godly male friends) down, even my husband himself. The truth is, for believers, the cross is the great equalizer. We all marry equally up and equally down, because we are all redeemed, yet broken, sinful human beings- simultaneously saint and sinner.

The cross is the great equalizer. We all marry equally up and equally down, because we are all redeemed, yet broken, sinful human beings- simultaneously saint and sinner.

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And what about things like this?

There are some really great messages in this video:

Being a mom can be tough, and husbands should appreciate all the hard work their wives do as mothers.

God wired women differently from men in a way that uniquely equips us for motherhood, and these differences are good and should be valued.

Dads need to step in and give moms a break every now and then.

It’s just supposed to be a lighthearted “moms are precious” video. I get that. But how are the makers of the video achieving the “lighthearted” part? By portraying dads as silly and hapless.

Where are we getting this idea that men have to be torn down in order to build women up? Not from the Bible, but from secular feminism. That’s their modus operandi, not God’s.

Where are we getting this idea that men have to be torn down in order to build women up? Not from the Bible, but from secular feminism.

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We always look at Proverbs 31:10-31 with regard to what it says about excellent wives, but have you ever noticed what it says about husbands?

The heart of her husband trusts in her,
and he will have no lack of gain.
She does him good, and not harm…

Her husband is known in the gates
when he sits among the elders of the land…

Her children rise up and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
“Many women have done excellently,
but you surpass them all.”
11-12a, 23, 28-29

We always look at Proverbs 31:10-31 with regard to what it says about excellent wives, but have you ever noticed what it says about husbands?

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Here, in the quintessential passage praising godly wives, do we see a silly cartoon character of a husband? Do we see a husband being belittled so his wife can look good? No. We see a godly wife who does her husband good and inspires and encourages him to go out and conquer the world. We see a respectable man with a good reputation. And, we see a man who trusts, appreciates, and praises his wife without a hint of self deprecation.

The world’s way is that for women to be winners, men must lose. God’s way is iron sharpens iron. When wives are godly, it influences their husbands to be godly, and vice versa. When women fulfill the roles God has ordained for them at church, it frees and encourages men to be the leaders God has called them to be. We build each other up without tearing ourselves down. Nobody has to lose in order for somebody else to win. Godliness is truly a win-win situation.

The world’s way? For women to win, men must lose. God’s way is “iron sharpens iron”. We build each other up without tearing ourselves down. Nobody has to lose in order for somebody else to win. Godliness is truly a win-win situation.

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Godly women are important, specially crafted by God for our roles, and worthy of honor and respect. But so are godly men. Let’s be sure, in the family and in the church, that we’re taking our cues from Scripture, not the world, when it comes to valuing women and men.

Source: Feminist Infiltration and the Emasculation of Christian Men

Frank Turek lectures on the case against same-sex marriage | WINTERY KNIGHT

Frank Turek lectures on the case against same-sex marriage

About the speaker Frank Turek:

Dr. Frank Turek is the author or coauthor of five books, including I Don’t Have Enough Faith to be an Atheist and Stealing from God:  Why Atheists Need God to make their Case. As the President of CrossExamined.org, Frank presents evidence for Christianity at churches, high schools, and secular college campuses. He has also debated several prominent atheists including Christopher Hitchens and Michael Shermer, Founding Publisher of Skeptic Magazine. Frank hosts an hour-long TV program each week called I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist which is broadcast Wednesday nights on DirecTV Channel 378 (NRBTV). His radio program and podcast called I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist with Frank Turek airs on 182 stations every Saturday morning at 10 a.m. eastern and is available continuously on the free CrossExamined App.

Frank Turek is one of my favorite speakers, and I admire him for being willing to take a public stand on controversial issues like gay marriage. He’s actually had to pay a price for that in his professional life, and I blogged about that before.

Here’s the lecture on gay marriage, featuring Christian apologist Frank Turek.

Outline:

Outline of Frank Turek’s lecture on same sex marriage

Introduction:

• how to present your case against marriage safely
• Christians are required to go beyond tolerance
• loving another person can mean opposing the person when they want to do something wrong, even if they hate you
• what did Jesus say about marriage? (see Matt 19:4-6)
• what did Jesus say about sexual morality? (Matt 15, Matt 19)

Summary:

• the same-sex marriage debate is about whether to compel people who disagree with the gay lifestyle to validate and normalize it
• P1: the government has an interest in marriage because it perpetuates and stabilizes society – this is the purpose of marriage
• P2-4: government can take 3 kinds of stances towards behaviors: promote, permit or prohibit
• government promotes behaviors when it has an interest in them
• same-sex relationships should be permitted, but not promoted
• Q1: if same-sex marriage had serious negative consequences, would you reconsider their position?
• Q2: are heterosexual relationships the same as homosexual relationships?
• Q3: what would society be like if everyone married according to the natural marriage definition: one woman, one man, for life?
• Q4: what would society be like if everyone married according to the same-sex marriage definition: man/man and woman/woman?
• Should Christians care about law and politics? or should they just preach the gospel?
• They should care because people often get their cues about what is moral and immoral based on what is legal and illegal
• Many of the social problems we see today can be traced back to problems with marriage and family
• Children do much better when they have a relationship with their mother and their father
• Same-sex marriage necessarily destroys the relationship between a child and its mother or its father
• When a country embraces same-sex marriage, it reinforces the idea that marriage is not about making and raising children
• same-sex marriage shifts the focus away from the needs of the children to the feelings of desires of the selfish adults
• does homosexuality impose any health and mental health risks?
• what has the impact of legalizing same-sex marriage been in Massachusetts to individuals, schools, businesses and charities?
• how same-sex marriage poses a threat to religious liberty
• how should you respond to the view that homosexuality is genetic?

And at the very end, he shows this short video, which is only 5 minutes and explains the logic of opposing the redefinition of marriage:

My biggest concern is religious liberty, and we are seeing how same-sex marriage has proven to be incompatible with religious liberty. But I also care about children… I want them to have mothers and fathers who put their needs first. Marriage is about a commitment – it is the subjugation of feelings and desires to responsibilities and obligations. It is a promise. A promise to commit to love your spouse and children regardless of feelings and desires. It requires more self-denial, self-control and self-sacrifice. Not less.

New survey: high school boys twice as likely to be conservative than girls | WINTERY KNIGHT

New survey: high school boys twice as likely to be conservative than girls

Did you know that women tend to be further to the left than men? According to surveys, women are more leftist than men on abortion, same-sex marriage, and a host of other policies. I’ll show you a few surveys below. But even more interesting is that there is a link between support for leftist policies, and higher mental illness. Let’s take a look at it.

First, here is an article from The Hill:

Forty-four percent of young women counted themselves liberal in 2021, compared to 25 percent of young men, according to Gallup Poll data analyzed by the Survey Center on American Life. The gender gap is the largest recorded in 24 years of polling. The finding culminates years of rising liberalism among women ages 18 to 29, without any increase among their male peers.

That article is a bit old, here’s a new one from this week in The Post Millennial:

In annual surveys over the last few years, data pulled from Monitoring the Future has shown that about a quarter of high school seniors identify as conservative or very conservative. Only 13 percent of the 12th grade boys identify as liberal.

[…]The graph excludes moderate students, but of those high school seniors that do identify politically, around 65 percent of boys were conservative while only around 31 percent of girls identified that way.

According to surveys, young women are also more likely to support abortion under any circumstances (40 to 27) and more likely to support same-sex marriage than men.

I don’t support abortion because I favor the rights of unborn babies over the happiness of adults. I don’t support same-sex marriage because studies show children do better when they are raised by a mother and a father. And I think that’s why most of these men are with me, they follow that same reasoning, and side with the children against the adults.

I thought this part of the article was interesting:

As one Politico analyst put it, “Democrats have a masculinity problem.” Citing trends among black and Latino voters, the analyst pointed out that even in minority communities that have voted majority Democrat, men have been turning to the Republican party at higher rates than women.

Some conservative figures such as Jordan Peterson and Dennis Prager (through PragerU) have millions of followers on YouTube, a platform where the users are majority male.

In addition, one of the more popular conservative political podcasts, The Ben Shapiro Show, has an audience that skews overwhelmingly male at 86 percent. The audience also skews younger, 18-44, in comparison to Fox’s former show with Tucker Carlson, 25-54, which skews slightly female at 53 percent.

This is good news. Boys are finding themselves role models who they see as “strong”. And those new role models are conservative. These stronger role models champion truth, and they make moral judgements. Even if it hurts other people’s feelings.

Let’s go on to the second point. These leftist policies are having a bad effect on young women’s mental health.

Feminist web site Evie Magazine reported on the some 2020 findings by Pew Research (left-wing pollster):

A 2020 Pew Research study reveals that over half of white, liberal women have been diagnosed with a mental health condition at some point.

[T]he study, which is titled Pew American Trends Panel: Wave 64, was dated March 2020 — over a year ago.

The study, which examined white liberals, moderates, and conservatives, both male and female, found that conservatives were far less likely to be diagnosed with mental health issues than those who identified as either liberal or even “very liberal.”

[…]White women, ages 18-29, who identified as liberal were given a mental health diagnosis from medical professionals at a rate of 56.3%, as compared to 28.4% in moderates and 27.3% in conservatives.

I found an interesting article in the Wall Street Journal that talked about how one leftist policy concern (global warming alarmism) is tied to higher rates of mental illness.

It says:

A study in 2021 of 16- to 25-year-olds in 10 countries including the U.S. reported that 59% were very or extremely worried about climate change, and 84% were at least moderately worried. Forty-five percent claimed they were so worried that they struggled to function on a daily basis, the definition of an anxiety disorder.

The study found that the mental illness was more common in younger people:

Climate anxiety and dissatisfaction with government responses are widespread in children and young people in countries across the world and impact their daily functioning.

So now we are looking at a direct link between the policies of the left, and the lower mental health of the left. And we know that more women than men are on the left. And we see more mental illness among women.  Interesting, isn’t it?

And this has consequences. Leftist women are noticing that men are more conservative than they are, and it’s affecting their dating:

The marriage rate is also declining. Could this decline in marriage be related to the increase in leftist women, and all the related mental illnesses that leftist women have? Does it make sense for a conservative man to enter a relationship where he pays all the costs and bears all the risks, but all the decisions are being made by a leftist woman? It’s dangerous for a man to do that.

Consider that the divorce rate is very high right now, and divorce takes away a man’s money, his access to his kids, and his freedom. Women initiate 69% of divorces. College-educated women  – who are especially leftist – initiate 90% of divorces. This high divorce rate cannot be blamed on men, because the divorce rate of lesbians is the highest of all. No man to blame in that situation.

Why would a man sign up to be controlled by feminist institutions, like the divorce courts? Men are not interested in projects where they have to pay for everything, but someone else is making the decisions. Especially if they get blamed when things go wrong.

Facing all of these risks, a man would have to be crazy to even talk to a leftist woman – much less date her. Unfortunately, we aren’t making enough young conservative women for these conservative young men to marry. And so, the marriage rate is declining. Young women today are not as conservative as previous generations.

I know a lot of people today are worried about young men falling under the influence of bad role models. But the surveys show that boys tend to have the right role models, and the right political views. So, we need to work on making young women more conservative.

APRIL 22 | JESUS ON DIVORCE

It was said, “Whoever sends his wife away, let him give her a certificate of divorce”; but I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except for the reason of unchastity, makes her commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.—MATT. 5:31–32

Jesus no more approves of divorce than did Moses (cf. Matt. 19:6). Adultery, another reality God never condoned, is the only reason under the law that allows for dissolving of a marriage, with the guilty party to be put to death (Lev. 20:10). Because Jesus mentions this here and again in Matthew 19:9, God must have allowed divorce to replace execution as the penalty for adultery at some time during Israel’s history.
Divorce is never commanded; it is always a last resort, allowed when unrepentant immorality has exhausted the patience of the innocent spouse. This merciful concession to human sinfulness logically implies that God also permits remarriage. Divorce’s purpose is to show mercy to the guilty party, not to sentence the innocent party to a life of loneliness. If you are innocent and have strived to maintain your marriage, you are free to remarry if your spouse insists on continued adultery or divorce.
Jesus does not demand divorce in all cases of unchastity (immorality, primarily adultery in this context), but simply points out that divorce and remarriage on other grounds results in adultery.
Our Lord wants to set the record straight that God still hates divorce (Mal. 2:16) and that His ideal remains a monogamous, lifelong marriage. But as a gracious concession to those innocent spouses whose partners have defiled the marriage, He allows divorce for believers for the reason of immorality. (Paul later added the second reason of desertion, 1 Cor. 7:15.)

ASK YOURSELF
How could you be an encouragement to a couple whose marriage is on the verge of collapse? How could you show Christ’s mercy to those who have been wounded the greatest?

MacArthur, J. (2008). Daily readings from the life of Christ (p. 121). Moody Publishers.

APRIL 20 | DESIRE, THE ROOT SIN OF ADULTERY

You have heard that it was said, “You shall not commit adultery”; but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.—MATT. 5:27–28

The seventh commandment protects the sanctity of marriage, and anyone who relies on external righteousness to keep it is prone to break it. Just as anger equals murder, lustful desire equals adultery.
In Jesus’ admonition, “looks” indicates intentional and repeated gazing. Therefore He means purposeful looking that arouses lust. In contemporary terms, it condemns a man who sees an X-rated movie, watches a salacious television show, or visits pornographic websites. It encompasses any thought or action done to arouse sexual desire.
Jesus is not referring to accidental exposure to sexual temptation. It is no sin if a man looks away from a provocative scene. It is the continued look that Christ condemns, because that demonstrates an adulterous heart. And by inference this prohibition would apply to women also, who must not gaze at men or dress in seductive ways to elicit stares.
In earliest redemptive history, Job understood these principles: “I have made a covenant with my eyes; how then could I gaze at a virgin?… If my step has turned from the way, or my heart followed my eyes, or if any spot has stuck to my hands, let me sow and another eat, and let my crops be uprooted” (Job 31:1, 7–8).
If the adulterous heart gives in to temptation, the godly heart will protect itself, praying, “Turn away my eyes from looking at vanity, and revive me in Your ways. Establish Your word to Your servant, as that which produces reverence for You” (Ps. 119:37–38; cf. 2 Tim. 2:22).

ASK YOURSELF
What could replace your next lustful thought or glance? Instead of focusing on what God has graciously restricted, what blessings, privileges, and freedoms can capture your attention instead?

MacArthur, J. (2008). Daily readings from the life of Christ (p. 119). Moody Publishers.

MARCH 25 | Exodus 36; John 15; Proverbs 12; Ephesians 5

GOD’S LOVE IS SPOKEN of in a variety of ways in the Bible.
In some passages God’s love is directed toward his elect. He loves them and not others (e.g., Deut. 4:37; 7:7–8; Mal. 1:2). But if we think of the love of God as invariably restricted to his elect, we will soon distort other themes: his gracious provision of “common grace” (Is he not the God who sends his rain upon the just and upon the unjust? [Matt. 5:45]), his mighty forbearance (e.g., Rom. 2:4), his pleading with rebels to turn and repent lest they die, for he takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked (e.g., Ezek. 33:11). On the other hand, if this were all that the Bible says about the love of God, God would soon be reduced to an impotent, frustrated lover who has done all he can, poor chap. That will never account for the loving initiative of effective power bound up with the first passages cited, and more like them.
There are yet other ways the Bible speaks of the love of God. One of them dominates in John 15:9–11. Here the Father’s love for us is conditional upon obedience. Jesus enjoins his disciples to obey him in exactly the same way that he obeys his Father, so that they may remain in his love: “If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands, and remain in his love” (15:10).
The context shows that this is not telling us how people become Jesus’ followers. Rather, assuming that his hearers are his followers, Jesus insists that there is a relational love at stake that must be nurtured and preserved. In exactly the same way, the love of the Father for the Son says nothing about how that relation originated (!), it merely reflects the nature of that relationship. The Father’s love for the Son is elsewhere said to be demonstrated in his “showing” the Son everything, so that the Son does all the Father does and receives the same honor as the Father (John 5:19–23); the Son’s love for the Father is demonstrated in obedience (14:31). As my children remain in my love by obeying me and not defying me, so Jesus’ followers remain in his love. Of course, there is a sense in which I shall always love my children, regardless of what they do. But there is a relational element in that love that is contingent upon their obedience.
Thus Jesus mediates the Father’s love to us (15:9), and the result of our obedience to him is great joy (15:11). “Keep yourselves in God’s love” (Jude 21).

Carson, D. A. (1998). For the love of God: a daily companion for discovering the riches of God’s Word. (Vol. 1, p. 110). Crossway Books.

IN THE CONTEMPORARY CLIMATE, a straightforward reading of Ephesians 5:21–33 is increasingly unpopular. Without descending to details, I shall venture my understanding of the flow of the passage.
(1) Oddly, the NIV prints 5:21 (“Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.”) as a separate paragraph. In the original, this is the last of a string of participial expressions that fill out what it means to be filled with the Spirit (5:18): functionally, being filled with the Spirit means everything in 5:19–21. Moreover, the words “submit to one another” should not be taken in a mutually reciprocal way, as if exhorting all Christians to submit to one another reciprocally. For: (a) the verb “to submit” in Greek always refers to submission in some sort of ordered array, never to mutual deference; (b) the idea is then picked up in the following “household table” of duties: wives submit to husbands, children to parents, and slaves to masters (5:22–6:4); (c) the same vision of submission is repeated in the New Testament (Col. 3:18–19; Titus 2:4–5; 1 Pet. 3:1–6); (d) the Greek pronoun rendered “one another” is often not reciprocal (e.g., Rev. 6:4).
(2) Nevertheless, certain things must be said about the wife’s submission to her husband (5:22–24). (a) It is not to be confused with certain pathetic stereotypes—groveling, self-pity, unequal pay for equal work (as if God were the God of injustice), and the like. (b) This submission is modeled on the church’s responsibility to submit to Christ. This brings up large issues of typology that cannot be explored here. But practically, it ought to reduce nagging, belittling one’s husband, browbeating manipulation, and the like. (c) This submission does not deny equal worth (both are made in the image of God) or perfect functional equality in many domains (e.g., sexual rights, in 1 Cor. 7).
(3) Husbands are to love their wives as Christ loved the church (5:25–33)—which at the very least means loving their wives self-sacrificially and for their good. More explicitly, the husband’s love for his wife must mirror Christ’s love for his church (a) in its self-sacrifice (5:25); (b) in its goal (5:26–28a), seeking her good and her holiness; (c) in its self-interest (5:28b–30)—for there is a kind of identification that the husband makes with his wife, as Christ identifies himself with his church; (d) in its typological fulfillment (5:31–33)—which again introduces huge typological structures that run right through the Bible.
The responsibilities of both husband and wife are dramatically opposed to self-interest.

Carson, D. A. (1998). For the love of God: a daily companion for discovering the riches of God’s Word. (Vol. 2, p. 110). Crossway Books.

February 4 – The powerless edict | Reformed Perspective

“He sent letters to all the royal provinces…that every man be master in his own household…” – Esther 1:22

Scripture reading: Esther 1:13-22

A royal conference is called to fix a problem that was not the fault of a woman in the first place, but of a man who did not manage his household well. The conference is comprised of worldly disciples, who are led by the abuse of alcoholic spirits instead of the Holy Spirit. In the process, they promote chaos instead of order by an oppressive law: “Husbands are gods to their wives, like Ahasuerus is a god to his bride and everything else. Every woman must always listen to her husband.” Willing wives of love are not wanted; compelled wives are. What chaos!

What a contrast to the kingdom of Christ, whose gospel not only saves believing husbands and wives, but fills their households with sacrificial love and willing service, thanks to the sacrificial love of Christ.

True men do not base their roles as husbands on a self-perceived absolute power, but rather on their Saviour who gave His life up for His bride, the church. Laws need not be passed, therefore, compelling women to submit to their husbands; they will do so willingly when they have Christ-like husbands who are willing to sacrifice for their wives and to please them. Such loving sacrifice is true power at work – not the power of the tyrant, but the power of someone touched by Christ’s love. Christ’s love is reflected in the home of a husband who heeds the call to lead in righteousness, devotion and love, not by compulsion and selfishness.

Suggestions for prayer

Thank God for Christ’s sacrificial love. Pray that Christ’s sacrificial love might be evident even more by Christian husbands, and by all of us who are called to be followers of Christ.

Rev. John Vermeer is Pastor Emeritus of Doon United Reformed Church in Doon, Iowa and is currently living in Cedar Lake, Indiana. He has served churches in Kansas, Iowa, and Illinois over the course of 34 years. Get this devotional delivered directly to your phone each day via our RP App. This devotional is made available by the Nearer To God Devotional team, who also make available in print, for purchase, at NTGDevotional.com.

Source: February 4 – The powerless edict

JANUARY 28 | CHANGE THROUGH CHRIST

2 CORINTHIANS 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

I believe that for marriage to become the treasure the Bible says it can be, Jesus Christ must be at the center. When Jesus Christ comes into a life, that person gains the basic equipment necessary to become “one” with another person, to be secure in identity, someone who doesn’t have to prove personal worth because he or she recognizes that worth in Jesus Christ. The best thing that can happen to any marriage is for both partners to know Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and walk with Him by faith.
Would you like to know a priceless secret? Here it is: God is awesome and He’ll change your life, He’ll change your marriage, He’ll change your family, He’ll change your future for generations to come. That’s what God, through Christ, will do!
He is waiting for you to give Him an invitation into your life. He does not barge in where He is not wanted. If you will take the initiative today, you can begin right now to live as you were meant to live. When you do, you will start to personally experience the awesomeness of God at work in your marriage and family. And when that happens, anything is possible.

Jeremiah, D. (2002). Sanctuary: finding moments of refuge in the presence of God (p. 29). Integrity Publishers.

10 JANUARY | Committing our Way to God

And Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field unto his flock. Genesis 31:4
SUGGESTED FURTHER READING: Psalm 37:1–7

Jacob sends for his wives so he can explain his intention to leave their father. He also wishes to persuade them to accompany him in his flight. It is his duty as a good husband to take them away with him; therefore, it is necessary to inform them about his plan.
Jacob is not blind to the many dangers of the journey. It will be difficult to take women who have never left their father’s house on a long journey to a remote region. Moreover, there is reason to fear that they, in seeking protection for themselves, might betray their husband to his enemies.
Jacob acts with great care in choosing to expose himself to danger rather than to fail in his duty as a good husband and master of his family. If his wives refuse to accompany him, the call of God will compel Jacob to leave on his own. But God grants what is far more desirable; the entire family agrees to come with him. In addition, his wives, who have often torn the house apart with fighting, now freely consent to go with Jacob into exile. So the Lord also allows us to succeed, when we in good faith discharge our duty and shun nothing that he commands.
In seeing how Jacob calls his wives to him into the field, we infer what an anxious life he led. Certainly it would be more convenient for him to stay home with his wives. He is already advanced in age and worn down with many toils, so he has great need of their service. Yet he is satisfied with a cottage in which he might watch over his flock and lives apart from them.
If there is a particle of equity in Laban and his sons, they will find no cause for envying Jacob in this situation.

FOR MEDITATION: How many times have we abandoned our duties because we thought that success could only come through disobedience? Perhaps you have been asked to leave comfortable circumstances to follow God’s leading. How does God care for us when we follow him?

Calvin, J., & Beeke, J. R. (2008). 365 Days with Calvin (p. 28). Day One Publications; Reformation Heritage Books.

January 2 | Genesis 2; Matthew 2; Ezra 2; Acts 2

what a strange way, we might think, to end this account of Creation: “The man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame” (Gen. 2:25). Hollywood would love it: what an excuse for sexual titillation if someone tries to place the scene on the big screen. We hurry on, chasing the narrative.

Yet the verse is strategically placed. It links the account of the creation of woman and the establishment of marriage (Gen. 2:18–24) with the account of the Fall (Gen. 3). On the one hand, the Bible tells us that woman was taken from man, made by God to be “a helper suitable for him” (2:18), yet doubly one with him: she is bone of his bones and flesh of his flesh (2:23), and now the two are united as one in marriage, one flesh (2:24), the paradigm of marriages to come, of new homes and new families. On the other hand, in the next chapter we read of the Fall, the wretched rebellion that introduces death and the curse. Part of that account, as we glean from tomorrow’s reading, finds the man and the woman hiding from the presence of the Lord, because their rebellion opened their eyes to their nakedness (3:7, 10). Far from being unashamed, their instinct is to hide.

This was not how it was supposed to be. In the beginning, “the man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.” The sexual arena stands to the fore, of course; yet there is a symbol-laden depth to the pronouncement. It is a way of saying that there was no guilt; there was nothing to be ashamed of. This happy innocence meant openness, utter candor. There was nothing to hide, whether from God or from each other.

How different after the Fall. The man and the woman hide from God, and blame others. The candor has gone, the innocence has dissipated, the openness has closed. These are the immediate effects of the first sin.

How much more dire are the same effects worked into the psyche of a fallen race, worked into individuals like you and me with so much to hide. Would you want your spouse or your best friend to know the full dimensions of each of your thoughts? Would you want your motives placarded for public display? Have we not done things of which we are so ashamed that we want as few people as possible to know about them? Even the person whose conscience is said to be “seared” (e.g., 1 Tim. 4:2) and who therefore boasts of his sin does so only in some arenas, but not in others.

What astonishing dimensions characterize the salvation that addresses problems as deep as these.¹

the sheer precision of the reports of return (Ezra 2) is one of the first things to strike the casual reader of this chapter. Not only are the numbers of the people accurately reported, along with the names of their clans, but even the numbers of their animals—horses, mules, camels, donkeys (2:66). One remembers the response of the old Puritan who was being berated for insisting on precision when talking about God and the teachings of the Bible. “Sir,” he replied, “I serve a precise God.”

That is only one side of the story, of course. This same God delights in the spontaneous praise of children, who are not known for precision. The Bible he has given us uses evocative imagery as well as precise reports. Yet our age is so committed to vague feelings that precision in matters divine is often despised. We want to follow our intuitions, not our instructions; we elevate feelings, not facts; we ingest treacle, not truth.

In this case there are several reasons for the precision of the report. For a start, such precision gives the account authority: this is not some distant hearsay, but the close reportage of someone who had intimate knowledge of the details. Further, naming these individuals and their families bestows on them an implicit approval. Countless tens of thousands of Israelites never returned to the Promised Land; they were too settled where they were, and the restoration of Jerusalem and the temple was of too little importance to them to warrant such dislocation. Their names have been lost; they are of little consequence in the sweep of redemptive history. But these names are remembered and written down in sacred Scripture. Read them slowly; they call forth our respect and gratitude.

But there is another element in the precision. Some of the returning clans could not show that they were descended from Israel (2:59); some of those who claimed priestly lineage were in the same predicament (2:62). The problem was taken seriously, and Zerubbabel the governor ordered that they be excluded from priestly service until the ancient way of divine guidance, the Urim and Thummim, could be reinstituted and their claims checked (2:63). Here were a people serious about observing the stipulations of the Mosaic covenant, serious about preserving the purity not only of the covenant community in general but of the priesthood in particular, serious about following all of God’s words. The seriousness with which they undertook the massive enterprise of the return is attested even by the gifts that they gave toward rebuilding the house of God (2:68–69).

The fact that this fledgling postexilic community soon stumbled into a new generation of fresh problems and old sins should not diminish the power of their example for believers today.²

---

¹  Carson, D. A. (1998). For the love of God: a daily companion for discovering the riches of God’s Word. (Vol. 1, p. 28). Crossway Books.

²  Carson, D. A. (1998). For the love of God: a daily companion for discovering the riches of God’s Word. (Vol. 2, p. 28). Crossway Books.

Biden Spends Final Days in Office Celebrating Respect for Marriage Act, Demonstrating How He Put LGBTQ Issues Ahead of Everyday American Issues | The Gateway Pundit

Biden Spends Final Days in Office Celebrating Respect for Marriage Act, Demonstrating How He Put LGBTQ Issues Ahead of Everyday American Issues

Joe Biden delivers remarks at a Pride celebration on Saturday, June 10, 2023, on the South Lawn of the White House. (Official White House photo by Adam Schultz)

This week, Joe Biden celebrated the second anniversary of the Respect for Marriage Act, which did nothing new except replace the words “man” and “woman” with “individuals.”

Biden posted on X Friday, championing his so-called “landmark civil rights bill.”

https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1867698557349691569

Congress summarizes the Act as the following:

This act provides statutory authority for same-sex and interracial marriages.

Specifically, the act replaces provisions that define, for purposes of federal law, marriage as between a man and a woman and spouse as a person of the opposite sex with provisions that recognize any marriage between two individuals that is valid under state law. (The Supreme Court held that the current provisions were unconstitutional in United States v. Windsor in 2013.)

The act also replaces provisions that do not require states to recognize same-sex marriages from other states with provisions that prohibit the denial of full faith and credit or any right or claim relating to out-of-state marriages on the basis of sex, race, ethnicity, or national origin. (The Supreme Court held that state laws barring same-sex marriages were unconstitutional in Obergefell v. Hodges in 2015; the Court held that state laws barring interracial marriages were unconstitutional in Loving v. Virginia in 1967.) The act allows the Department of Justice to bring a civil action and establishes a private right of action for violations.

The act does not (1) affect religious liberties or conscience protections that are available under the Constitution or federal law, (2) require religious organizations to provide goods or services to formally recognize or celebrate a marriage, (3) affect any benefits or rights that do not arise from a marriage, or (4) recognize under federal law any marriage between more than two individuals.

However, same-sex marriage has been legal since June 26, 2015, following the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges.

Evidently, this ruling didn’t do enough for the sex and gender-crazed Democrats as they pushed to repeal language like “man” and “woman” in the Respect for Marriage Act with “individuals.”

Though this law passed in 2022, Democrat VP nominee Tampon Tim Walz recently claimed that same-sex marriage is illegal in Nebraska, where he was born and raised.

But not to worry, Joe Biden stepped in an unintentional fact-check of Walz’s lies, celebrating the legislation as he prepares to leave the White House.

His greatest accomplishment was not a law protecting Americans from illegal immigrants, crime, or inflation, but apparently one that enacted same-sex marriage laws that were already in place. This accurately sums up Biden’s last four years of prioritizing LGBTQ issues and they/thems over everyday Americans and Christians.

Maybe two years from now, Biden will look back at his proclamation of Easter Sunday as Transgender Day of Visibility. Though, he might have a hard time recalling this blasphemous action.

Karine Jean-Pierre LECTURES CHRISTIANS, Says It’s “Misinformation” That Biden Declared Easter Sunday as “Transgender Day of Visibility” (VIDEO)

The post Biden Spends Final Days in Office Celebrating Respect for Marriage Act, Demonstrating How He Put LGBTQ Issues Ahead of Everyday American Issues appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

The Daily Impact of Union with Christ | The Fight of Faith

The Daily Impact of Union with Christ

The most profound reality of your life—the truth that you are united to Christ—can transform not only your eternity but every moment of your day. If you are a believer, you are united to Christ at this very moment. Did you remember that this morning when you rose and began your daily routine? How will this knowledge affect you as you go about the remainder of your day? If we truly understand what it means to be united to Jesus, it should impact us profoundly.

What does it mean to be united to Christ? The cross of Christ has satisfied the punishment our sins demanded, and his righteousness is counted as ours. This legal standing is the foundation of our union with Christ, but it is not all that union entails.

Michael Horton reminds us of the importance of both the legal and relational aspects of our union with Christ when he compares it to marriage. He says, “To be sure, the objective fact of one’s marriage provides the security of the relationship, but there is more to marriage than the ceremony and legal documents.”

Legally, if you are married, you are married, and that does not wax or wane. However, there is more to marriage than legal standing. There is the experiential union. Fellowship and communion are part of it. Horton goes on to say, “We grow experientially in this union as we come to know, communicate with, and respond to each other.”

As you slipped out of bed this morning, you may have been mindful that your sins are forgiven and you have been declared righteous in Christ, but did you remember that your union with Christ is to be your most intimate relationship? Your salvation does not wax or wane if you are a Christian, but your relationship with Jesus can grow closer.

It is too easy for us to forget our first love. When we do that and walk into places we should not go or visit places online that we should not visit, there is a sense in which Christ goes with us. Like a spouse acting in unfaithful ways or simply being negligent, the relational part of the marriage suffers, even if the legal claim is still intact.

Though the negative impacts should concern us, the primary motivation to live in conscious union with Christ is not fear of the damage that occurs when we neglect our first love. What should drive us should be our love for him and the blessedness of that union when it is healthy.

Union with Christ is such a glorious reality that it should transform every moment of our day. There is never a moment when we are alone. He is with us when the day ahead of us is more than we can handle. When we turn off the TV at the end of the day, and the silence of the house feels overwhelming, he is there.

Fellowship and communion with your Savior is always available; the more we live in it, the sweeter it grows. By the power of the Spirit, Jesus does not only give us his gifts; he gives us himself, and the blessing of being united to Jesus will only grow richer the more we grow in communion with him.

-D. Eaton

10 Key Areas to Vote Biblically | IFA

Intercessors for America

We are all looking for ways to communicate about the biblical principles that inform our voting. Here are some thoughts from a seasoned intercessor.

Post a prayer for your state!

1. God. Do they acknowledge and recognize God as the Creator, Sustainer, and Judge, or do they or their party disregard or disdain Him (in their words and policies)? (Gen. 1).

2. Humans. Do they recognize the uniqueness and sanctity of life, that we are made in the image of God? That we are not mere animals, products of evolution?  Thus that all human life is precious from the womb to the tomb?  Are they prolife or in favor of and promote abortion? (Gen. 1 & 2).

3. Male and Female– God made mankind male and female (Gen. 1 & 2). Do they recognize that there are only two genders or do they support the transgender movement (causing great confusion), including the transitioning of children and adolescents (resulting in lifelong sterility), allowing men in women’s restrooms and locker rooms and women’s sports?

4. Holy Marriage– do they recognize and support marriage as God designed it- as only between one man and woman (preferably for life) (Gen. 2:18-25), or do they support homosexual marriage, multiple spouses, or other departures from God’s model?

5. The Family– since the family is God’s building block of society, do they support policies that help support the family, parental authority (parents’ responsibility to discipline, educate, and train their children), and both a dad and mom in the home? Or do they support an agenda that seeks to break apart or redefine the traditional (biblical) family, sees the children as belonging to the state (to be educated in the values of the state, which may oppose those of the parents), and encourages promiscuity rather than a stable two parent home? (Gen. 4; Eph. 6: 1-4).

6. Private property– Do they support policies that encourage personal responsibility and industrious work so people can take care of themselves and their families and acquire their own things, including working toward buying their own home and property? (note- the commands in Exodus 20 not to steal or covet presuppose people own their own things). Or do they support an agenda pushed by globalist or socialist groups such as the WEF and Marxism which want to take away private property or encourage dependency upon the government?

7. Israel– Do they support Israel’s right to exist in her own land as defined by God and to defend this right or do they pressure Israel to make peace and divide up her territory with terrorists who want to destroy her? (Gen. 12:3).

8. Borders and Defense– Do they clearly support our government’s responsibility to defend our nation and to protect our citizens and economy by protecting our borders, or do their policies show a neglect of our current immigration laws and in effect support an open border? (Acts 17:25 states that God has determined the boundaries of nations.  While it is true that in the OT God commanded his people to show kindness to the foreigner, this was different than allowing a flood of people across their borders.  When the latter occurred, Israelites always tried to defend their territory unless they were too weak).

9. Religious Freedom– do they support believers meeting and worshipping according to the biblical command, or do they support policies or groups which seek to infringe upon this right listed in the Bill of Rights? (Acts 20:7; Heb. 10:25).

10. The Church– Jesus said he would build his church (Matt. 16:18). Do their policies support the right of the church to freely carry out its God-given mandates (to teach its followers the Bible, to be salt and light to our godless society, and to expand by preaching the gospel and making disciples), or do they support laws that would act to limit the church to meet regularly and to witness? (Matt. 5:13-16, 28: 18-20; Acts 2:41-47, 20:7; Heb. 10:25).  The covid crisis brought to light some leftist governors, national leaders, and agencies who sought to muzzle and close down the church.

How are you praying ahead of the election? Share your prayers in the comments below.

(Les Lanford is an IFA intercessor. Photo Credit: Lorie Shaull from St Paul, United States – Vote Here sign in Minneapolis, Minnesota., CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=97565551)

A New Testament Scholar Explains What Should Be the Two Key Voting Concerns for Christians

Summary: The two most consequential acts of God at creation were the valuing of human life as the only creatures made in God’s image and the integrating of that image-bearing into the creation of male and female sexual counterparts. Since these two creation acts are most consequential in the eyes of God, policies adversely affecting these acts of God ought to be the Christian’s two most important concerns when voting. Today’s Democratic Party has two great idols, the high priestess of which is Kamala Harris: (1) the right to unrestricted killing of human life in the womb and (2) the coercive promotion of LGBTQ immorality. To these idols Harris and her chief cultic mouthpiece, Tim Walz, sacrifice our most important freedoms given to us in a Republic, such as protections of our children and of our rights to free speech and free exercise of religion. By definition, a political party that exalts the destruction of God’s two most important creation purposes shares a demonic ideology.

How do Christians determine what are the most important matters when voting for or against a political candidate? We have to start “in the beginning.”

Beginning at the Beginning Determines What Political Issues Matter Most

The two most consequential acts in God’s creation of “the heaven and the earth” were (1) the creation of “the human” (Hebrew ha’adam) in God’s “image” and “likeness,” and (2) God’s differentiation of humanity into two sexual “counterparts” or “complements,” “male and female” or “a man” and “woman,” whose bodies are designed for “joining” in marriage, entailing both sexual companionship and procreation (Gen. 1:1, 26–28; 2:21–24; 5:1–2; 9:1, 6–7).

Whoever sheds the blood of the human,
by the human shall his blood be shed.
For in the image of God he [God] made the human.

Promoting the destruction of the foundation for sex also matters. Other things matter too (for example, managing the creation well on God’s behalf), but not to the same degree. Genesis 1:27 teaches us that among all the living creatures of the earth, only the human species integrates sexual differentiation with image-bearing.

God created the human in his image,
in the image of God he [God] created him.
Male and female he created them.

That means that only in the case of humans does what they do sexually have the capacity either to enhance the image of God stamped on the body or to efface it.

Jesus grounded his view of sex in Genesis 1:27 and Genesis 2:24, concluding that the God-ordained duality of the sexes was the basis for limiting the number of persons in marriage to two. Do we have ears to hear? The moral logic of Jesus’s remarks is that twoness of number is predicated on twoness of the sexes. Monogamy (both concurrent, at any one time, and serial, over time) is a logical deduction from a male-female prerequisite for sex.

It should not occasion surprise, then, that alongside Paul’s strong condemnation of homosexual practice in Romans 1:24–27 and 1 Corinthians 6:9–10 we find echoes to the same two creation texts lifted up by Jesus for defining acceptable sexual behavior—Genesis 1:26–27 and Genesis 2:24, respectively. Homosexual practice and transgenderism are thus viewed in Scripture as an assault on the very foundation of sexual ethics.

The Two Idols of the Democratic Party: LGBTQ immorality and Abortion

Today we have a political party whose two main idols are enforced “LGBTQ” immorality and “reproductive freedom,” or unrestricted abortion. I am talking, of course, about the Democratic Party. To be sure, the Democratic Party stands for other things as well. Yet these two issues are the defining identity markers of the Party.

They strike at the heart of God’s created order. Abortion sacrifices on the altar of self-fulfillment the unjust killing of a developing and innocent human being made in God’s image. The “LGB” agenda extinguishes the two-sexes foundation for sexual ethics, and the “TQ” agenda eradicates any biological basis for determining sex. Referring to “husband and wife” or even “boys and girls” is now treated by the Democratic Party as discriminatory, hateful, and bigoted.

Here it is not a question of the Democrats pursuing a policy of “live and let live.” Rather, for them, one is compelled to bow before these idols by praising the courage of those who come out as transgender and celebrating homosexual relationships. One is coerced into compete in sports against or share a changing room with a person of the opposite sex. In elevating to the status of cherished idols that which strikes at the very heart of God’s created order, the Democratic Party is in lockstep with demonic powers that seek to subvert God’s design (1 Tim. 4:3). What else can we call this headlong pursuit of LGBTQ immorality and abortion as the very raison d’être (reason for existence) of this Party, its debased heart and soul? Thus, a vote for that Party’s candidates is necessarily an ungodly vote.

The Democratic Party heads rejected the decision of voters in the primaries, Joe Biden, and picked instead Vice President Kamala Harris to be their head priestess of these two great idols. She has a long track record of being unsurpassed in the Democratic Party in her extremism on LGBTQ immorality and abortion. She in turn selected as her chief mouthpiece for these twin idols Governor Tim Walz of Minnesota, whose commitment on these matters is as extreme as her own. They are both equally willing to sacrifice to these idols our most important freedoms given to us in a Republic, such as protection of our children and of our rights to free speech and free exercise of religion.

The Democrats have been effective at getting a number of evangelicals and other religious conservatives to be distracted by the character flaws and off-color words of Donald Trump (ignoring those of Kamala Harris and Tim Walz). But these evangelicals disregard the far graver danger coming from hard-Left policies that entail Executive Orders, legislation, “disinformation” boards, and court nominations that will have long-term adverse effects on the two most consequential acts of creation. The effects would last well beyond a Harris-Walz presidency and encompass a far wider group of people.

The Urgency of the Present Moment

The urgency of the present moment is heightened by two additional factors.

First, Democrats are nearing autocratic control of the country. They already control most of the old legacy news media, social media platforms (except Elon Musk’s X), virtually all of the academy of colleges and universities, the search engines that determine flow of information on the internet, the entertainment industry, and most of the Fortune 500 companies. To hand over to them the Presidency for another four to eight years is suicidal both to a functioning democracy and the checks and balances of a two party system.

The situation is even more dire given the Biden-Harris massive illegal-immigration election scam. The current administration has let into the country an unprecedented four to five million illegal immigrants or more, even flying over 800,000 from Latin America into the US interior (mostly into red states and swing states). This has been done as a massive election-cheating scam to turn border states and swing states permanently blue, thereby insuring that Democrats will win all future presidential elections and control all three branches of federal government for the foreseeable future.

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29 OCTOBER | Joined Together by the Lord

Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband. Ephesians 5:33

suggested further reading: 1 Peter 3

Peter expressly says that when a man is too harsh and rigorous to his wife, and the wife becomes so cross that he cannot cope with her nor is she willing to submit herself as she ought, then their prayers are hindered (1 Peter 3:7). It is as if the apostle says, “Wretched people, what are you thinking? Are you not very miserable in seeing that the gate is shut against you and you cannot invoke God? What will become of you when you cannot put yourselves in the hands of your God?”

God loves concord between husbands and wives and bids them come to him. When a husband behaves peaceably toward his wife, and the wife also does her duty, the Lord says, “If you call upon me, I will give ear to you as if you prayed out of one mouth.” Seeing that our Lord calls us to him for our good and for our salvation, commanding us to call upon him with a pure heart, must we not be possessed by the devil and take leave of our senses if we do not accept such a profitable condition?

Therefore let us note that, if a husband intends to discharge his duty, and the wife similarly, both of them must have an eye to God, accepting their marriage as from him, and assuring themselves that they did not meet by chance but were joined together by the Lord. For it was God’s intent that the husband should be a companion to his wife and receive her as part of himself, and that the wife yield the degree of honor to her husband that belongs to him and submit herself to him as to her head.

for meditation: Marriage is an ordinance of God, and every individual marriage is a part of God’s plan. It is not something to be entered lightly. Great love and many prayers must grace the marriage if it is lived to the glory of God. When marital strife hinders prayer, it does not take much to start a downward spiral that can end only in shipwreck.

What condition is your marriage presently in? Are you arguing with your spouse more than you are complimenting him or her? If so, your downward spiral has already begun. Begin immediately to study your calling in marriage from Ephesians 5, and pray for grace to look at yourself rather than your spouse, asking, “How can I be a better husband?” or “How can I be a better wife?” Consider asking others for help. Don’t let your marriage degenerate if you can possibly help it.¹

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¹  Calvin, J., & Beeke, J. R. (2008). 365 Days with Calvin (p. 321). Day One Publications; Reformation Heritage Books.

27 OCTOBER | Loving as Christ Loved

Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it. Ephesians 5:25

suggested further reading: Matthew 19:1–12

Now let husbands consider well what they owe to their wives: that they should be as dear to them as their own lives. Even so, they will not reach the perfection of our Lord Jesus Christ but follow a great way behind him.

For their part, wives must bear in mind that since God’s will is that marriage should be a type of the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, they will be much too ungrateful if they do not submit themselves as God calls them to their husbands. At the same time, Paul means to magnify God’s goodness toward us and the love that Jesus Christ has borne us in saying that he gave himself for us. Therefore, let us acknowledge that Christ’s love comes to us by the free mercy of God his Father, and that our Lord Jesus Christ had respect to nothing but our miseries when he showed himself so merciful in helping us.

If we keep these things in mind, we shall be moved as husbands and wives to obey each other without disputing. Then, too, we shall be set afire to glorify God and acknowledge with our mouth and by our whole life how much we are indebted to him. In this we show that God not only has released us from condemnation and drawn us out of death but also has condescended to give us his well-beloved Son as a pledge of his love. Jesus Christ has willingly become the pledge and ransom to acquit us before God, so that the devil also might not have anything against us. For Satan is our adversary, and we are subject to him until our Redeemer sets us free from the devil’s bondage.

for meditation: If Christ has forgiven the sins of his people, how can they refuse to forgive the sins of others, especially of their spouses? Christian husbands must remember how much they have been forgiven, and be forgiving of their wives. In addition, they should be willing to sacrifice themselves for their wives, just as Christ did. A healthy marriage is founded in Christ. Husbands, are you reflecting Christ in your marriage by leading your wife in love and submitting to God?¹

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¹  Calvin, J., & Beeke, J. R. (2008). 365 Days with Calvin (p. 319). Day One Publications; Reformation Heritage Books.

Faithful to my Man | Thoughts about God.

Faithful to my Man

“to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God”  Titus 2:5

Lately I have been thinking about my late mother-in-law – Ella Renetta Kehler. She was a good woman, faithful to her God and to her husband. She and Dad were married for over 60 years. She died at age 83.

For almost 17 years of their marriage, Dad was in a long-term-care hospital. He had a brain tumor and had brain surgery.    After the surgery and subsequent brain damage, he was like an infant and needed total care.

During all the years of dad being hospitalized, Mom went to see him six days a week. She only agreed not to go the seventh day because her children insisted she needed a day of rest. She wouldn’t even take a vacation. She loved Dad (not only endured him) and was faithful to him until she died.

She was a model and example of faithfulness.

What are some of the secrets to “sticking” with your man?

• Keeping your wedding vows (love him for better or worse, etc.).
• Trusting in God’s power. Learn about the Holy Spirit as your Helper\
• Total commitment (read Two Keys to a Happy Marriage).

I am in love with my husband and I am in love with God. There have been challenging times during our many years of marriage – we are both very strong and independent. However, shortly after I yielded the control of my life to God, He burned His directive to wives in my mind “Be kind and be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.”  Titus 2:5.

This verse has kept me from listening to the Tempter’s whispers and lies.  I no longer entertain thoughts about leaving Marvin. You see, I love and respect God so much that I don’t want anyone to malign or think less of Him because I haven’t kept my vows. God has always helped us to be faithful to each other.

My mother-in-law set an example of ‘sticking with your man’ to all women who knew her.

Father, You formed the family. Thank You that You will also give us everything we need to be faithful to our husbands. You promised that there would never be a temptation without which there would also be a way of escape. You always keep Your promises. Thank You! Amen.

by Katherine Kehler
used by permission

FURTHER READING

• Marriage Articles
• Setting a Proper Foundation for Marriage, Family and Life by Ed Becker
• How Can my Spouse and I Get on the Same Page?
• Love for a Lifetime
• Grace to Keep on Yielding – A story of how a couple chose to compromise and yield their wills during a simple visit to a garden centre.
• Elma’s Story – Nothing Left To Give “My husband didn’t know how to acknowledge my feelings and show me the support I needed.”

The post Faithful to my Man can be found at Thoughts about God.