Abortion would not even be a major issue if people were committed to sex only within the confines of marriage.  Individuals would still have abortions, to limit the size of their families, but the number of unborn babies killed would drop dramatically.  The Bible gives insight into how God views sex.  Pastor Mark Driscoll wrote this article for Fox News as a preview to his new book, “Real Marriage: The Truth About Sex, Friendship and Life Together.” Mark is a dynamic speaker and at times a controversial Christian leader.  I like him because he doesn’t pull any punches; he says it like he sees it.  He makes no apologies for writing what he believes the Bible teaches.

What the Bible Really Says About Sex By Pastor Mark Driscoll January 03, 2012

Sex is a selfish act, a conquest of personal fulfillment.  That’s the mindset of most people in our culture regarding sex—even if it’s only subconscious. For the most part, our society celebrates the process of hook up, shack up, and break up.

All you have to do is take a moment to observe the way sex is communicated in our culture.
Thousands of articles are churned out on how to cope with a past of multiple partners and how to find the next one.  Porn is a massive industry, generating $10 to $14 billion annually in revenues.

Nearly every sitcom on the air seems to make light of sleeping around, and films like “No Strings Attached” and “Friends with Benefits” lure young eyes to the theater, while a sex-crazed Tucker Max boasts about his conquests and skyrockets to the top of the New York Times bestseller list, becoming a cult hero for young slackers everywhere.

It also explains why sex trafficking is a $32 billion global industry, 45,000 to 50,000 young girls are trafficked in the United States every year, and why one in 12 youths experience sexual victimization, including sexual assault and attempted or completed rape.

The problem, however, is not sex.  It’s us.  In order to understand this, we must first understand the underlying cause of all the problems in this world: sin.

In the Bible, Paul says of the human condition:  For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.  “Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever!” Amen (Romans 1:21-25).

And in case you think Paul is on some self-righteous kick to condemn sinners, he makes clear in the same letter that all of humanity is in the same boat, writing, “Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things” (Romans 2:1).

And to drive the point home, he writes, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”   Thankfully, he also adds, “and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith.” (Romans 3:23-25).

The point is this: as humans, we’re all sinners and all in need of God’s grace, given freely through Jesus. And apart from Jesus, we all pervert God’s good gifts, such as sex.

Thankfully, God is also merciful and loving. This is why he sent us Jesus to save us from our sin, and it is also why he gave us the Bible to help us understand his plan for a life that honors him and as a result leads to true fulfillment.

The Bible has a lot to say about sex—including that it’s good and that it glorifies God when we enjoy sex in the context for which He created it.  So, I thought I’d share seven sex essentials from the Bible that my wife Grace and I included in our new book, “Real Marriage: The Truth About Sex, Friendship, & Life Together”:

1. God created us male and female in His image and likeness with dignity, equality, value, and worth. Men and women are different and complement one another (Genesis 1:27-28).

2. Love is more like a song than a math equation. It requires a sense of poetry and passion to be any good at it, which is why people who are stuck in their heads struggle and are frustrated by it, and lovers prefer songs to syllogisms (Song of Solomon, all of it).

3. Marriage is for one man and one woman by God’s design. This is the consistent teaching of the Bible from the table of contents to the appendix and the teaching of Jesus Christ Himself (Genesis 2:24-25, Matthew 19:4).

4. God created sex. God made our bodies “very good” with “male and female” parts and pleasures. When our first parents consummated their covenant, God was not shocked or horrified, because He created our bodies for sex. The reason that sex is fun, pleasurable, and wonderful is because it is a reflection of the loving goodness of God who created it as a gift for us to steward and enjoy (Genesis 2:24-25).

5. Sex outside of marriage is a sin. Sinful sex includes homosexuality, erotica, bestiality, bisexuality, fornication, friends with benefits, adultery, swinging, prostitution, incest, rape, polygamy, polyandry, sinful lust, pornography, and pedophilia (I Corinthians 6:9-11,18-20, Hebrews 13:4).

6. Sex is to be done in such a way that there is no shame (Genesis 2:25; Proverbs 5:18-23). Many people experience shame in regard to sex. Sometimes shame is a gift from God in response to our sexual sin, sometimes it is the devastating feeling we bear because we have been sexually sinned against, and other times we have not sinned or been sinned against sexually but feel shame because we have wrong thinking and feelings about sex in general, or a sex act in particular.

7. Your standard of beauty is your spouse. God made one man and one woman. He did not ask them if they wanted someone tall or short, light or heavy, pale or dark skinned, with long or short hair. In short, He did not permit them to develop a standard of beauty. Instead, He gave them each a spouse as a standard of beauty (Genesis 2:23, Proverbs 6:20-35).

I understand that I’m writing to an audience that may not consist entirely of Christian believers, including some who may even be hostile to Christianity. I also understand that many of these points will either rub some of you the wrong way or even enrage you. But, I make no apologies for the Bible and what it says.

I will say this, however… I don’t write them to condemn you, nor does the Bible. Rather, I ask you to consider your motivations for sex.

Have you ever truly given yourself to someone selflessly to love them, explore them, and cherish them until death do you part? Have you spent your life pursuing pleasure instead of seeking to give pleasure to a lifelong spouse? And, are you truly happy and fulfilled with your sex life?

The problem isn’t our partners. It’s us. We’ve perverted sex and misused it. God’s way is the best way, and I encourage you to humbly pray and think about what he has to say about us and sex in his word, the Bible.

As someone who was sexually active before becoming a Christian, I don’t consider myself more holy than anyone else. But, after experiencing Jesus’ forgiveness, becoming a Christian, understanding what the Bible teaches about sex, having massive change in my thoughts and actions about sex, marrying, and today, happily and faithfully married to the same woman for what is approaching 20 years, I sincerely want you to experience the fullness of what God has for you in Jesus Christ.

Mark Driscoll is the founding pastor of one of America’s largest, fastest-growing and most innovative churches (Mars Hill Church in Seattle, Washington). He was recently named one of the “25 Most Influential Pastors of the Past 25 Years” by Preaching magazine. Driscoll is also co-founder of the Acts 29 Network (which has planted over 500 churches in the U.S. and 13 other nations around the world). He is the author of 15 books, including the newly-released “Real Marriage: The Truth About Sex, Friendship and Life Together” (Thomas Nelson 2012).

Go to part 18 here

Bible verses that “support” abortion

The following verses are used by opponents to say the Bible supports abortion.  I am going to show they actually do the opposite.

New American Standard Bible: Exodus 21:22, 23 “If men struggle with each other and strike a woman with child so that she gives birth prematurely, yet there is no injury, he shall surely be fined as the woman’s husband may demand of him, and he shall pay as the judges decide. ²³ “But if there is any further injury, then you shall appoint as a penalty life for life,”

The Living Bible: Exodus 21:22 “If two men are fighting, and in the process hurt a pregnant woman so that she has a miscarriage, but she lives, then the man who injured her shall be fined whatever amount the woman’s husband shall demand, and as the judges approve.”

Pro-abortion advocates point out that in the case of an injury to the mother, which causes a miscarriage and the baby comes out dead, there is only a fine unless the mother dies.  The penalty in that case is the perpetrator’s life for the mother’s life.  They say according to this passage the baby is not considered fully human because instead of life for life for killing the baby the intruder is only fined.

The key to answering this objection is answering the question, what is being communicated about the child?  Is miscarriage the best English word?  The Hebrew verb yasa [which some English translations call a miscarriage] means “to come forth.”  Whenever yasa is used in the Old Testament it refers to something “coming forth” alive unless otherwise indicated.  In Numbers 12:12 “Oh, do not let her be like one dead, whose flesh is half eaten away when he comes from his mother’s womb!” Here the baby “comes from” the womb dead but the passage itself says the baby was dead.  Without stating the baby is dead yasa always means alive.  Interesting is the fact that yasa is used 1,061 times and is only translated by some as miscarriage in this one passage.  Why should this Exodus passage be different?

Moses had at his disposal Hebrew words that could have meant miscarriage, nepel and sakal, but he didn’t use them.  These words are used elsewhere in the Bible but not in this Exodus passage.

Let’s read the Exodus passage with what the verb yasa means.  Exodus 21:22, 23 “And if men struggle with each other and strike a woman with child so that the baby comes out, yet there is no further injury, he shall surely be fined as the woman’s husband may demand of him; and he shall pay as the judges decide. But if there is any further injury, then you shall appoint as a penalty life for life.” The passage seems to indicate that if either the mother or the baby is injured there is a penalty and if death occurs to either party it is life for life.

So why require a fine?  The person is fined because a premature baby requires special care.  The fine is levied for punitive damages and for the expense of an early birth.  Plus, even if the fine was for a miscarriage, this wouldn’t prove the baby isn’t human because a few verses later (v. 32) Moses says there will be a fine for the death of a slave.  We wouldn’t take that to mean the slave is somehow subhuman.

To summarize the case 3 points have been established:

1. Yasa never means the baby is dead.  The English word miscarriage is simply a bad translation.  Verse 22 should say come forth or come out.
2. Is there anything in the context of the passage that we should take Yasa to mean the baby comes out dead?  The obvious answer is no.
3. If Moses had wanted to convey the baby came out dead why didn’t he use Hebrew words he had at his disposal that would have conveyed that message?  Obviously, he never intended the readers to interpret the passage to mean a dead baby.

Bottom line is the Exodus 21:22, 23 is actually a strong pro-life passage supporting the full rights and humanity of the unborn[1].

Go to part 16 here

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Bible speaks out against killing an innocent unborn human being

The Bible does not use the word abortion, therefore, there a no verses that state “Thou shalt not abort an unborn fetus.”  However, if the unborn is human, the Bible speaks out against murder.

The following verses establish the fact the Bible teaches the unborn is human:

• Luke 1:41 “When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.” Only a living human baby can leap in a mother’s womb.

• Luke 1:44 “As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.” The NASB Greek New Testament Dictionary says the transliterated word brephos (baby) means an unborn or newborn child.  The Bible teaches the unborn is human.

The 6^th commandment deals with murder.

• Exodus 20:13 (NASB) “You shall not murder.” This moral law is one of the Ten Commandments.  Author Moses used a Hebrew word (ratsach) that in context refers to taking an innocent life with premeditation (English translation murder).  The KJV version of the Bible reads, “You shall not kill.” Using the word “kill” instead of “murder” can be misleading.  During the 17^th century the word “kill” carried a connotation more closely resembling today’s use of the word murder.  This Biblical commandment teaches it is wrong to take the life of an innocent human; therefore in Exodus 20:13 “murder” is the more likely English word.

Murder is a universal or objective moral wrong.  The verses in Luke establish the unborn baby is human.  Therefore, according to the Bible to abort a baby in the womb is murder.  This constitutes a clear violation of the 6^th commandment, “You shall not murder.”

Go to part 15 here

The Bible supports all humans are intrinsically valuable

Intrinsically valuable means a person has great worth simply because he or she is human.  According to the Bible intrinsic value is given to all humans because we are all made in the image of God.  On the other hand, instrumental value is judged by what we can or cannot do.  Many people argue the unborn can be killed because he or she lacks instrumental value or is completely dependent upon the mother.  The fetus makes no contributions to society and needs the help of others to survive.  Therefore, the unborn can be killed.  The same could be said concerning an older adult who no longer contributes to society.   My dad is currently 95 years old and cannot walk and is completely dependent on my older sister, who lives in his house.  Mentally he is still vibrant and carries on conversations.  Since he can no longer contribute to society and is completely dependent, should he be euthanatized?  This argument could be used to eliminate a sizeable portion of the world’s population.  What about individuals currently in a coma who have no instrumental value?  Should we simply eliminate them?  How about quadriplegics?  Should we kill them because they cannot contribute?  How about babies who are completely dependent upon their parents, especially mom?  Are they expendable?

In the movie “Million Dollar Baby,” the lead character, a woman boxer, becomes a quadriplegic and is helped by her trainer to commit suicide.  Why?  In her mind her quality of life wasn’t worth living; she felt she no longer had instrumental value and was dependent upon others.  This movie was supposed to be a true story.  However, in reality the woman boxer, who the movie was based on, is still alive.  As a quadriplegic she saw the film and became extremely depressed.   The fact that the movie was promoting a lie has motived her to speak out against this film and other individuals who promote ideas like doctor assisted suicide.  Her mission is to let people to know that just because a person is a quadriplegic he or she is still valuable; that all humans, including those with special needs, have intrinsic value.

The movie “Million Dollar Baby” won an Oscar for best picture while promoting a lie.  Obviously, the screenwriter was motivated to push a certain misleading philosophy.  Humans by nature have intrinsic value, not by what they can do, but by the fact they are human.  The Bible supports the intrinsic value of all humans, including the unborn.

• Genesis 1:26-27 “Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.’ ²⁷ God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” Since God is not physical, to be made in God’s image is to be given rationality, will, an immaterial self, and character traits that God possesses.  Humans by virtue of being made in God’s image are intrinsically valuable.  The unborn is human based on the evidence from science, philosophy, and the Bible.

• Psalm 139:13-16 “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place.  When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body.  All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” God oversees the birth of all humans.  He created the process by which we all come into this world.  God is sovereign and He knows us and has a plan for us even before we were born.  Our value is intrinsic, founded upon the plan and purposes of God.

Part 12 supplied verses for the humanity of the unborn and here I have shown how the Bible supports the intrinsic value of all precious unborn human persons.  Abortion is wrong for taking the life of a valuable unborn human, even if the Bible doesn’t have the words “abortion is an abomination.”  Next I will show how the Bible prohibits the killing of the unborn.

Go to part 14 here

Parts 1-11 I made the case for the humanity of the unborn in a way that someone can present in the public square.  Now I will turn to the Bible to defend the unborn.  Christians can be confident the Bible supports the prolife position.

Scriptures that support the unborn is alive and human.

• Psalm 51:5 “Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.” David was the author of this psalm. The context takes us to back to 2 Sam 11:1-12:25, when Nathan confronted David concerning his heinous sin with Bathsheba and the death of her husband Uriah.  David not only had sex with Uriah’s wife, he had him killed in battle. Psalm 51 was a reflection from David looking honestly at what he had done.  He was asking for God’s mercy and admitting he was sinful from the moment his mother conceived him.  Only a human can be sinful from before he was even born.

• Jeremiah 1:5, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I have appointed you a prophet to the nations.” God selected Jeremiah for a special job as a prophet to the nations.  When did God select him?  Jeremiah writes God knew him before he was even conceived.  He was selected for his special duty prior to birth.  Jeremiah 1:5 multiple times uses the personal pronoun “you” to establish God was speaking about the person Jeremiah.  Clearly, he was human before he was born.  Only a person could be known before conception.

• Genesis 25:21-24 “Isaac prayed to the LORD on behalf of his wife, because she was barren. The LORD answered his prayer, and his wife Rebekah became pregnant. ²² The babies jostled each other within her, and she said, ‘Why is this happening to me?’  So she went to inquire of the LORD. ²³ The LORD said to her, ‘Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you will be separated; one people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger.’ ²⁴ When the time came for her to give birth, there were twin boys in her womb.” As with Jeremiah, God prior to birth established the future for both sons.  The younger son, Jacob, out of his loins would come forth the nation of Israel.  The offspring of Esau would eventually form the nation of Edom.  Repeatedly, Edom will submit to the nation of Israel as written in Genesis.  In verse 22 these two children wrestling while in Rebekah’s womb.  Babies that wrestle, prior to birth, are alive and well.  Words like babies and boys used while they are still in the womb, establish the humanity of the unborn.

• Luke 1:14-15 “He [John the Baptist] will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, ¹⁵ for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth.” John the Baptist was filled with the Holy Spirit before he was born.  The Holy Spirit is God’s comforter for humans who follow Him.

Only humans can be sinful at birth, be known by God, have an established purpose, and filled with the Holy Spirit while still in the womb. These scriptures are strong evidence for the full humanity of the unborn.

Go to part 13 here

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This article post on The Gospel Coalition web site reveals why I love the teachings of certain Christmas songs. Truth in society is sometimes hard to find. If you listen carefully truth is being articulated on the radio, in malls, and in churches worldwide. Christ the Lord has been born!

The article was written by Luke Stamps, a theology student from Louisville Kentucky.  It is called, “The Best Christmas Songs Tell the Truth.”  Enjoy…Merry Christmas, Steve

I love Christmas music. I confess that I started listening to my favorite Christmas albums in October . . . okay, late September. I love all kinds of Christmas music, both sacred and secular. My conscience is not offended to hear songs about Santa Claus or reindeer or snowmen or chestnuts roasting on an open fire. To be sure, my favorite Christmas songs capture, in some small measure, the wonder of the Incarnation—that the eternal Son of God became a man “for us men and for our salvation,” as the creed says (recently, I’ve been enjoying this one and this one). But I admit that I love the festivity of the entire Christmas season, including some of its secular trappings.

But according to the Bible, the Christmas story is not set in a context of innocence. The drama of Bethlehem’s manger is set on the dark stage of sin, death, demonic oppression, and aching anticipation. A cursory reading of the New Testament’s birth narratives (Matthew 1-2; Luke 1-2) makes this dark context abundantly clear. And the best Christmas carols also draw out these shadowy aspects of the Christmas story. Consider these well-known lyrics:

No more let sins and sorrows grow

nor thorns infest the ground:

he comes to make his blessings flow

far as the curse is found.

*****

God rest ye merry, gentlemen.

Let nothing you dismay.

Remember, Christ, our Savior

Was born on Christmas day

To save us all from Satan’s power

When we were gone astray.

O tidings of comfort and joy,

Comfort and joy!

*****

Mild he lays his glory by,

Born that man no more may die.

Born to raise the sons of earth,

Born to give them second birth.

Sins, sorrows, curse, Satan, alienation, death. Doesn’t sound much like holiday cheer, does it? But this is the context of the comfort and joy of the Christmas announcement. Bethlehem’s star is only visible against the black sky of sin and death.

Perhaps this Christmas, many of us are experiencing a darkness all our own. Perhaps it is a prolonged struggle with some besetting sin. Perhaps it is the pain of a strained or severed relationship. Perhaps it is the cold reality of unemployment or cancer or death. In these circumstances, if all we had were the cheery, nostalgic Christmas songs, we might be tempted to despise the holiday. Each time we heard those lyrics describing some serene Christmas setting, sheltered from the pains of life, we would be acutely aware that this song does not match our experience.

Thankfully, some songs are more honest. Thankfully, some Christmas songs recognize the depths of our pain and, therefore, the depths of our joy when we hear the announcement of Christ’s advent. And thankfully, Scripture itself is also transparent about our world’s darkness. One of the original Christmas songs, Zechariah’s Benedictus, recognized this darkness, as well as the great light of God’s promised redemption nascent in Mary womb. Zechariah’s prophetic words over his son John, who would be the first herald of this good news, are worth remembering as we prepare room for the light of Christ in our darkened hearts this Christmas:

And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace (Luke 1:76-79).

The movie “A Christmas Story” is a hilarious account of a family getting ready for Christmas and all their misadventures.  It is one of my all-time favorite movies to watch during this time of year.  However, it falls far short of the true Christmas story.

Another favorite Christmas movie of mine is the “Charlie Brown Christmas.”  It is one of those rare moments when television gets it right!  Charlie Brown wrestles throughout the first half of the program trying the find the true meaning of Christmas.  He finally asks Linus for help.  The classic scene is during the children’s play practice when Linus, playing a shepherd, reads the words of the Biblical writer Luke.  What is special is the Gospel is proclaimed every year through the mouth of a cartoon character.  Interestingly, Linus reads from the King James Version of the Bible.

Luke 2:8-14 (KJV)

“And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. ⁹ And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. ¹⁰ And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. ¹¹ For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. ¹² And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. ¹³ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, ¹⁴ Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”

My focus will center on the words Luke wrote in verse 11, ^“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.”  Here we see the most important words to all mankind; the words of an angel bringing good news of great joy because a savior has been born.  Who is this savior born in a manger?  Why do we need a savior?

The word savior is used in the Old Testament referring to God (one possible exception).  We read in Isaiah 43:11 “I, even I, am the LORD, and there is no savior besides Me.”  In the New Testament God the Father is called savior in Luke 1:47 [Mary speaking] “And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.” The Bible teaches God is the only savior and yet, that title in Luke and elsewhere is applied to Jesus Christ, implying He is God.  Matthew further identifies this savior when he writes, Matthew 1:23 “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”–which means, “God with us.”  Jesus is God taking on human flesh.  

The savior is identified by the angel as Christ the Lord.  In Genesis 12:1-3 God promised Abraham that his offspring would be a blessing to the entire earth.  Multiple verses from the Old Testament pointed to a coming Messiah who would bring this blessing.  The Jews for thousands of years had been awaiting the arrival of this Messiah.  Now the angel announces he has arrived.  The title “Christ” is the Greek word for the Hebrew word “Messiah,” which means anointed one.  The long awaited one who was going to fulfill the Abrahamic Covenant and bring blessing to the world was now been born in Bethlehem.  This was good news of great joy!

This savior is also called “the Lord.”  This very same term is used of God the Father in many verses (Matt. 1:20; 9:38; 11:25; Acts 17:24; Rev. 4:11) and of Jesus (John 20:28; Acts 10:36; 1 Cor. 2:8; Phil 2:11) all indicating equality.  Millard Erickson writes, “For the Jews particularly, term Lord suggested that Christ was equal with the Father[1].”  This baby, the savior, was fully God and fully man.

Why do we need a savior?  The Bible is very clear we are all sinners.  The Apostle Paul writes in Romans 3:23 “…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”   The penalty for sin is eternal separation from God.  Paul writes in Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  Death here represents spiritual death and separation from God for all eternity.  However, the free gift of God is eternal life, found only in Christ Jesus our Lord.  We need a savior to save us from our sins, so we can experience heaven for all eternity. 

This is the true story of Christmas.  It is not found in most movies, plays, and songs about Christmas.  Most of them portray false information about the Biblical story.  And don’t be fooled by the word “story” in the title.  Luke writes a historical narrative about the birth of the savior Jesus Christ.  Christmas is the true story of the birth of one who was born to die; Jesus lived a perfect life and was nailed to a cross to pay the penalty you and I deserve.  Christmas is the celebration of the giving of the gift of God and for those that follow this baby, to all of us, receive life everlasting.   

Merry Christmas

Steve Bruecker

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Living as I do in Escondido California, I feel a need to comment on the two young ladies who were murdered in North San Diego County. Just recently John Gardner confessed to the brutal murders of Amber Dubois and Chelsea King. Due to a plea bargain agreement, John Gardner is going to escape the death penalty. He will be spending the rest of his life behind bars. This agreement was reached because Gardner, trying to avoid the death penalty, agreed to reveal where the body of Amber Dubois was located. The King family graciously granted this plea bargain, even though they knew justice would not be served. They felt it was more important for the Dubois family to close the books on how their daughter died and where her body was located, then to seek the death penalty.  It has been reported the King family is still hurting knowing that John Gardner will live out the rest of his life in prison rather than facing the death penalty. 

If I was in the King family’s position I would have done the same thing.  However, I believe justice was not served. John Gardner deserves the death penalty for his brutal slayings of these two young ladies. This is why the Bible puts forth the concept of an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth when it comes to punishments by the government.  The Bible supports the concept the penalty should be equal to the crime.  This is why the Bible supports capital punishment.  Life for life upholds the dignity of all humans.  Genesis 9:6 states, “Whoever sheds man’s blood, by man his blood shall be shed, for in the image of God He made man.”  Humans, made in the image of God, are so valuable when you murder someone your life will be taken by the government.  John Gardner deserves to be punished with his life taken, just like he took the lives of two valuable human beings.  Gardner serving life in prison is not justice, only his life for their life is.

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I preached this last weekend at Pauma Valley Community Church in California.  This teaching clearly shows why good works can never merit heaven.  In this sermon I equip followers of Jesus Christ to be able to share with people who are trusting in good works to get them to heaven.  I tell a true story of a taxi ride I had with a Muslim driver and how I shared 5 illustrations of why good works are not good enough for heaven.  I highly recommend listening to this sermon. 

It can be found at: http://biblicalworldviewacademy.org/sermons/

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Each year I look forward to hearing the sounds of Christmas, especially the traditional carols. They radiantly speak of the birth of Christ and focus our attention on Him.

Throughout the week, singing the words in my mind, brings joy to my heart and challenges me. Christmas music not only possesses beautiful melodies but powerful words that most writers envy. One song that plums the depth of who Christ is and why he came is “Hark the Herald Angels Sing.”

It is a traditional Christmas hymn written by Charles Wesley, brother of John Wesley founder of the Methodist church, in 1739. A somber man, he requested slow and solemn music for his lyrics and thus “Hark the herald angels sing” was sung to a different tune initially. Over a hundred years later Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847) composed a cantata in 1840 to commemorate Johann Gutenberg’s invention of the printing press. English musician William H. Cummings adapted Mendelssohn’s music to fit the lyrics of “Hark the herald angels sing” already written by Wesley.

Hark the herald angels sing
“Glory to the newborn King!
Peace on earth and mercy mild
God and sinners reconciled”
Joyful, all ye nations rise
Join the triumph of the skies
With the angelic host proclaim:
“Christ is born in Bethlehem”
Hark! The herald angels sing
“Glory to the newborn King!”

Christ by highest heav’n adored
Christ the everlasting Lord!
Late in time behold Him come
Offspring of a Virgin’s womb
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see
Hail the incarnate Deity
Pleased as man with man to dwell
Jesus, our Emmanuel
Hark! The herald angels sing
“Glory to the newborn King!”

Hail the heav’n-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Son of Righteousness!
Light and life to all He brings
Ris’n with healing in His wings
Mild He lays His glory by
Born that man no more may die
Born to raise the sons of earth
Born to give them second birth
Hark! The herald angels sing
“Glory to the newborn King!”

What this song entails can be summed up in three points:

1. The Pardon of Christmas – Wesley begins with a call to peace between God and us; “Peace on earth and mercy mild – God and sinners reconciled.” The The Apostle Paul writes, Romans 5:8-10 (NASB) “⁸ But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. ⁹ Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. ¹⁰ For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.” Christ came to this earth to save sinners; to issue a pardon to those who confess and believe.
2. The Person of Christmas – Wesley then unveils who this child is; “Veiled in flesh the Godhead see – hail the incarnate Deity – Pleased as man with man to dwell – Jesus, our Emmanuel [God with us].” The Bible teaches Jesus is not just a good man or a good moral teacher, but God in human flesh. John 1:1, 14 (NASB) “¹ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…¹⁴ And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.” Jesus Christ, the only person who has ever had two natures; fully God and fully man. Jesus is the “incarnate Deity.”
3. The Purpose of Christmas – “Born that man no more may die – Born to raise the sons of earth – Born to give them second birth.” Wesley says the purpose for the birth of Jesus was so we could be given a second chance (second birth) and through belief we will live for eternity in a loving relationship with God. “Born to raise the sons of earth” direct us to the scriptures that emphasize Christ’s followers will someday receive a resurrected body (1 Cor. 15). The purpose of Christmas is the birth of the savior Jesus Christ: Luke 2:8-11 (NASB) “⁸ In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. ⁹ And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. ¹⁰ But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; ¹¹ for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” It is only through Jesus Christ we can experience forgiveness of sins and a restored relationship with God. We don’t come to God; He comes to us.

This Christmas you can experience peace and forgiveness through the God/man by placing your faith in Jesus Christ. This is the true meaning of Christmas…Jesus, our Emmanuel…God is with us.

Have a Merry Christmas…Steve

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