General James Oglethorpe (1696–1785) conceived a plan to provide a refuge for persecuted Protestants of Europe. On June 9, 1732, he was granted a charter by George II to establish a new colony. Oglethorpe named his colony Georgia. He was motivated primarily from strong Christian principles, which are evident in his denouncement of slavery. In London, in 1734, he praised Georgia for its anti- [...]
“You shall not follow the masses in doing evil, nor shall you testify in a dispute so as to turn aside after a multitude in order to pervert justice” (Ex. 23:2). As I mentioned in a previous article, The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) claims that American Vision believes that the “U.S. was founded as a ‘Christian nation’ and that its democracy should be replaced with a theocratic government ba [...]
If I break into my neighbor’s house and steal from him when I am out of a job or need money, it would be a crime and I would most likely go to jail or be made to pay restitution. However, if I help to elect someone to political office and he makes laws to tax people so the revenue collected can be given to others, this is seen as economic fairness. [...]
Update: I just received a copy of the Spring 2010 (10.3) issue of The Social Contract. The Editor read about American Vision being included on the SPLC “hate” list and sent me a copy. It’s a comprehensive expose of the SPLC. For more information, go to www.TheSocialContract.com New Jersey has passed an aggressive anti-bullying statute. The “Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights,” as it’s [...]
Matthew 24 may be the most misinterpreted passage of Scripture and is one of the pillars of dispensationalism. In this episode, Gary quickly goes through the chapter, dispelling the myths and misinterpretations. [...]
In yesterday’s article, “Testing the Prophets (Again),” I began a brief response to Greg Laurie’s article “Are these signs of the times?” I included comments From H. Wayne House who is a NT scholar and takes a dispensational premillennial approach to the passage. One of House’s points is that the “wars and rumors of wars” mentioned by Jesus in Matthew 24:6 had to be global. But notice Jesus’ words [...]
As one of the cornerstones of Dispensational Eschatology, the Olivet Discourse is crucial for proper teaching and understanding. In this episode, Gary covers some of the main points of difference taught from Matthew 24. It all comes down to whether you really believe Jesus or not. [...]
Many, if not most, Christians refrain from much, if any, involvement in politics or modern culture. More troubling still is when the Church does get involved but over something inconsequential and superstitious. If Christian’s would adopt a biblical worldview and eschatology, and work to redeem our culture, we would see a radical difference! [...]
As this millennial decade comes to an end and North Korea is rattling its military sword, popular Christian writers will reach into their prophecy bags, appeal to the Bible, and tell us that the end is near. The more judicious ones don’t come right out and say Jesus’ coming will take place in “our generation”; they temper their claims with something like this: “So is the end of the world near? [...]
Jesus said that some of his followers would not die before He returned. This statement has been an obstacle for unbelievers as well as Christians. If you can’t believe this clear and simple statement, can you believe anything else in the Bible? [...]
On Thursday, September 24, 1789, the First House of Representatives recommended the First Amendment to the states for ratification. Congressman Elias Boudinot proposed that Congress jointly request that President Washington proclaim a day of thanksgiving for “the many signal favors of Almighty God.” He “could not think of letting the session pass over without offering an opportun [...]
[caption id=“attachment_3757” align=“alignleft” width=“130” caption=“Jezebel and Ahab Plot to Steal Naboth’s Vineyard”][/caption] God’s sovereignty includes ownership of all His creation. Melchizedek, in blessing Abram, said, “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth (Gen. 14:19; cf. v. 22). The Bible continues the relat [...]
Frank Schaeffer, the son of the late Christian worldview apologist Francis Schaeffer (1912–1984), writes the following in a post-election article that was published on the ultra-liberal Huffington Post website: “One reason the Republicans won on Tuesday is because many of their supporters have already given up on this world and are waiting for the next. I know, I used to be one of them.” One of th [...]
Mention the name of Dr. John Stith Pemberton, and the majority of people would shrug their shoulders. But it was Dr. Pemberton, an Atlanta pharmacist, who carried his new concoction in a jug down the street to Jacob’s Pharmacy for a taste testing at the soda fountain. The syrup was declared “excellent” and sold for five cents a glass. Carbonated water was added to the new syrup p [...]
Bullying is a hot topic right now, especially in relation to homosexuality. Some would argue that the teachings in the Bible regarding homosexuality lead to bullying and mistreatment of homosexuals. When the law arrests someone for committing a crime, is that bullying? [...]
How we view the future directly impacts the way we live in the present. If we believe that the ultimate decay of our culture is inevitable, can we truly be motivated to fight it. Hope for cultural reformation will fuel efforts to that end. [...]
Christians aren’t the only ones with a view of the future. Every religion and major social or political movement has an eschatology that effects how they conduct day to day life. In this episode Gary looks at some of the various major eschatological views and the impact they have had on our culture. [...]
There’s been a lot of post-election reflection. One of the more interesting trends that has surfaced is that evangelicals got back into the political battle. From about 1925 to 1975, evangelicals were not viewed as a definitive voting-block. Evangelicals were generally dismissive of politics for a variety of reasons. The 1973 pro-abortion Roe v. Wade decision and the earlier 1962 prayer ((Engel v. [...]
At the Baptist General Association of Virginia’s Nov. 9-10, 2010 annual meeting in Hampton, Virginia, the participants “adopted a resolution decrying versions of American history that minimize or deny the role of church-state separation and encouraging diligence in correcting mistaken historical accounts.” The resolution, which was passed by a wide margin, considers it “‘a threat to the flourishin [...]
For conservatives, the results of last week’s election are encouraging, a victory but we have to keep our guard up. If we relax and become complacent we will lose every inch of ground gained, probably even more. We won some battles but it is important to stay vigilant, fight even harder, the war is far from over. [...]
