Fruit of their thoughts

He called me back again the day my letter was published, and the conversation went to Clinton and his mess. He ask me what I thought of it. The man is retired, and I told him that he has been around long enough to know that Clinton is simply reflecting what is common among the general population.

I was talking with the Weavers from across the street, and I told them the same thing.

After pointing this out to both Jack Hedrick and the Weavers, they had to agree that Clinton is not acting out of character of the average American in general.

ANOTHER

On my way in to Church this morning (Sunday, 8/23/98), I was listening to the BBC news broadcast. One of the topics was Clinton's bombing of the two African nations. Though the reporters made reference to the President's sex problems, both said they had no reason to tie his problems in with the bombings.

What caught my attention was the second reporter's words concerning Christianity in America. She was clearly saying that Clinton is no different than the average American Christian. She referred to the woman down South last year who ran her car into the lake with her two small children in it. She pointed out that the woman claimed to be a Christian and that her step father was a leader in the Christian Collation in that area. She then went on to say that the step father had molested her as a younger girl.

She spoke of Clinton wrapping himself in the American flag to get people to forget what he is doing. His personal problems are now overlooked as he tries to get America to rally around the flag. She called American patriotism a religion in America. Then she compared Americans to Clinton, saying they wrap themselves in Christianity to get people to forget what they are doing.

She came right out and said that the point she was making was that the average American Christian goes to church on Sunday, but returns home to the sex, unrestrained violence and every other kind of unchristian behavior through the week. Which is why Clinton can get away with what he is doing in the office of President.

She painted a very sad but true picture of American Christianity, and made the point clear that President Clinton only reflects America's Christian society. (I'm sure that British Christianity is no better, but that was not her topic.)

The November/December 1997 Barna Report reveals the continuing decline in the influence of Christianity on American society. Eighty-four percent of Americans consider themselves to be Christians. Nevertheless, "Christians' beliefs are basically inconsequential because nonbelievers see Christianity as benign and irrelevant."

Fifty-four percent of Christians read the Bible during the week; 61 percent attend church each week; and 71 percent support their church financially--behaviors that are "expected" by nonbelievers. Christian behaviors that cause non-Christians to "question their own actions" are regular participation in prayer groups, being active in a local church, and claiming to be born again.

Sadly, differences between Christians and nonbelievers are often minimal. Thirty-three percent of nonbelievers watch MTV; so do 26 percent of Christians. Forty percent of non-Christians watch R-rated movies; 30 percent of Christians admit to doing so as well. And 12 percent of believers agree with 17 percent of nonbelievers "that money means success" (Current Thoughts and Trends, 5/98). [What in the World! Vol. 23, Num. 12. A news service prepared by Bob Jones University for the local church.]

Here is why:

1) Jeremiah 2:11, anyone who will look honestly at the facts will see that American Christianity has forsaken the God of the Bible.

Mark 12:28, And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all? 29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: 30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. 31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

They have exchanged the Lord of Glory for the gods of this world. From the highest to the lowest, the God who demands unreserved love, service and obedience has been replaced with gods that are no gods. The American god is a god who is here to serve man, and save him from all his difficulties.

2) Jer. 5:3, though the Lord has brought evil to pass, stricken them with natural disasters and illnesses of all kinds, they refuse to face the fact that they have departed from the Lord God of the Bible.

3) Jer. 4:14, the people have vain, empty thoughts. They want to pursue the gods of their own good pleasure. Jer. 5:31, the people seek after prophets and priests who will not speak against their pursuing of personal peace and prosperity.

4) Jer. 6:10, 11, the prophet complains that no one wants to hear his warning. Everyone is given over to the desire of their hearts, and they do not want to be reminded that they are not serving the Christian God.

Uncircumcised. True Biblical circumcision is gladly hearing God's word and doing it with delight. This fact is true in both the Old and New Testaments. (Jer. 4:4, Ac. 7:51.)

5) Jer. 6:13, the word of the Lord is very clear:

Exodus 20:17, Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.

1 Cor. 6:9, Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

Phlippians 3:17 Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample. 18 (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: 19 Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.) 20 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: 21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

6)

Jeremiah 6:18 Therefore hear, ye nations, and know, O congregation, what is among them.19 Hear, O earth: behold, I will bring evil upon this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not hearkened unto my words, nor to my law, but rejected it.

The fallen nature believes that there are no public results of our private actions. However, we are continually told by the Lord God that even the very inner most thoughts have open, public results.

Matthew 12:34 O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.

Matthew 12:35 A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.

Matthew 15:19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:

7) Jer. 6:26, final point. The Lord's call here was not to gather the army together, but was a call to repent.

The only answer to the distressing situation America now finds itself in is repent and return to the Lord God of the Bible.

First, Christians.

The lady on BBC had her finger on the problem. American Christianity is not Biblical Christianity.

1 Cor. 6:9, Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

Second, unsaved. We must get our act together, and as every day faithful Christians, evangelize our friends and communities.