Huckaby Takes a Stand

In response to former president Jimmy Carter's statement that the Bush administration's foreign policy is "the worst in history," Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckaby of Arkansas has withdrawn from participating in the upcoming New Baptist Covenant Celebration organized by Carter and Mercer University. Huckaby also stated that the roster of speakers "does seem to tilt left." Those are diplomatic words considering the Carter and Mercer University represent about as far left as you can go.

Speaking of diplomacy, Carter showed none in his vicious attack on the Bush administration. Whether or not he agrees or disagrees with the policy of the White House, he should have known better. His withdrawing his words carries little weight after the fact. I commend Huckaby for his stand on both levels, the lack of diplomacy from Carter and the liberal agenda by these professed "Baptists." You can read the entire story on Baptist Press.

My commendation of Huckaby should not be taken as an endorsement of Huckaby. It is too soon to make that call. But it is refreshing to see someone out there willing to take a stand that I deem to go beyond simply politics. Kudos to Mike Huckaby!

Copyright Laws Abused by Christians

I have often shared my concern about professing believers who seem to think that they are above the law when it comes to copyrights. Copying music and/or book pages on a copier for handouts, downloading music illegally on the Internet, and using single-user computer software on multiple computers in the home and in the church are but a few of the oft-abused areas.

These abuses are highlighted by two articles in May 16,2007 edition of the Baptist Press. The first article, "Illegal downloads: high tech thievery" shows the naivety of teens today concerning music downloads. Consider the following, "Nearly 90 percent (86 percent) of teenagers polled by The Barna Group indicated music piracy -- 'including copying a CD for a friend or downloading non-promotional music online for free' -- is either morally acceptable or not a moral issue. In the 2004 study, conducted for the Gospel Music Association, just 8 percent said such activities were immoral."

The second article, "Breaking the law during church?" reveals the burgeoning abuse of copying music in the church. Again, consider the thought process of some believers, "Many churches break the law on a weekly basis, making illegal copies of music. Some vague thought process assumes that, 'as long as it's for the Lord's work, it should be OK.' Nothing could be further from the truth."

I encourage you to take some time and read these articles. There are inexpensive, perfectly legal ways to download music. I personally have a yearly subscription with Yahoo! Music and iTunes is popular with iPod owners. Making copies on a copier of music and book pages can also be legal if it is in accordance with what each individual copyright states. Take some time to examine your own practices in this area. Are you above reproach?

Denying Self

Lord willing, this coming Lord's Day I will be preaching on the great sanctification text, Mark 8:34-38. One of the marks that a believer will have according to Jesus is a denial of self. I encourage you to meditate on the following comments concerning what it is to deny self so that we can take up our cross and follow Him.

"Let him deny himself. This self-denial is very extensive, and implies that we ought to give up our natural inclinations, and part with all the affections of the flesh, and thus give our consent to be reduced to nothing, provided that God lives and reigns in us. We know that blind men naturally regard themselves, how much they are devoted to themselves, how highly they estimate themselves. But if we desire to enter into the school of Christ, we must begin with that folly to which, Paul (1 Cor. iii. 18) exhorts us, becoming fools, that we may never be wise; and next we must control and subdue our affections."

John Calvin

"They must not be indulgent of the ease of the body; for "Whosoever will come after me for spiritual cures, as these people do for bodily cures, let him deny himself, and live a life of self-denial, mortification, and contempt of the world; let him not pretend to be his own physician, but renounce all confidence in himself and his own righteousness and strength."

Matthew Henry

"As the Jew denied the Messiah (Acts 3:14), so his follower denies self, will not have himself as his ruler or his aim. He determines no to live according to his own inclinations, but to do and bear whatever may be necessary in the course he has undertaken. He must resolve not to live not for pleasure, but usefulness; not for inclination, but duty; not for self, but for God."

John Broadus

"The disciple must say to himself the same words Peter said of Christ when he denied him: 'I know not this man.' Self-denial is never just a series of isolated acts of mortification or asceticism. It is not suicide, for there is an element of self-will even in that. To deny oneself is to be aware only of Christ and no more of self, to see only him who goes before and no more the road which is too hard for us. Once more, all that self-denial can say is: 'He leads the way, keep close to him.'"

Dietrich Bonhoeffer

May we learn what it means to truly deny ourselves - God bless.

The Gospel of God

What is the message of the gospel? What is its content? What is its purpose? These are important questions that our men have been discussing in a study on evangelism. One of the finest works ever written on evangelism is Evangelism & the Sovereignty of God by J. I. Packer. Packer correctly asserts that the gospel is made up of four essential ingredients:

1. The gospel is a message about God.
2. The gospel is a message about sin.
3. The gospel is a message about Christ.
4. The gospel is a summons to faith and repentance.

Another excellent resource on evangelism is Tell the Truth: The Whole Gospel to the Whole Person to the Whole World by Will Metzger. He uses a similar outline to what he calls the salient points of the gospel:

1. God - the Holy and Loving Creator
2. Man - the Sinful Creature
3. Christ - the Merciful Redeemer
4. Our Necessary Response to Be United to Christ

Both of these books should be a part of every believer's library - and not just to gather dust! If you are interested in a booklet that addresses the gospel and is an excellent tool for evangelism, check out Phil Newton's wonderful resource The Way of Faith.