“THE STORY”, is my new book that examines the pre-tribulation  rapture doctrine that his held by many Christians. What is the rapture? Did Jesus say anything about the rapture? Where does the rapture fit into the Biblical timeline of final events leading up to Jesus return?

I think that many Christians will be surprised at how much of the teachings surrounding the rapture are simply based upon people’s logic and conjecture. When we diligently pay attention to what the Scripture actually says, then a very different picture emerges that will change your eschatological perspective. I challenge you to walk with me through Scripture to see if those things that they speak of are actually written in God’s Word.

Deliverance ministries and Biblical Doctrine.

Come Out In Jesus Name

You would think that I, as a Christian, would be happy to see people delivered from demons. Truthfully, if the people in the movie, “Come Out In Jesus Name”, did experience deliverance then I am happy for them. What troubles me are the doctrines that are being promoted by those who created this movie.

I waited until this movie was released for rental before I watched it. Watching it at home I could pause it and look up the scriptures that they quoted and consider these scriptures in their context. This movie, produced by Greg Locke, tells the story of how he became involved in the “ministry of deliverance”. The movie then highlights some people involved in this ministry and excerpts from their meetings.

Before I address some of the statements that were made in this movie, I think it best that we first briefly examine the subject of the movie; demons and their role in our world.

Demons — Evil Spirits

“Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons; freely you received, freely give.” (Mt 10:8 NAS)

In the KJV of the Bible Satan is referred to as the devil and unclean spirits are referred to as a devil or devils. Devils, or demons as they are now called, are evil spirits, also called unclean spirits. Our knowledge and understanding of demons comes from the Bible. Without scriptural insight we would only be able to see the effect of these evil spirits and our understanding would be shrouded with mystery. Indeed, for many years these spirits became mythologized as people speculated about them. But when Jesus came, He called them out.

Demons are unclean or evil spirits. Their interaction with people has to be on a spiritual level since they do not have physical bodies. There is good reason for people to fear these spirits, for there is no such thing as a good demon. Casper the friendly ghost does not exist. These are spirits who have left their original abode as servants of God. They are under the influence of Satan and as his minions they are one with him in purpose to destroy the work and purpose of God, which is to reconcile Man.

We are also spirits. But we have been created with a body, a dwelling place for our spirit. We learn from Scripture that we were created for fellowship with God. Our bodies were designed to be a meeting place for our spirit and the Spirit of God. Sin separated us from God leaving an empty space and a desire for that spiritual connection. Since demons are spirits without a dwelling place, they are willing to occupy a place in a human earthly body. Given opportunity to enter a person, they will then strive for dominance over that person.

Possession

Once an evil spirit gains control, it dominates the human spirit and controls the body for its evil agenda. Often it does this will little regard for the earthly body, eventually destroying it. Possibly it is when the human spirit resists that things get ugly. We see in Scripture that these spirits can be the cause of disease, or they cause the person to injure themselves or others. We see that more than one spirit can take of residence in a body. The spirit or spirits can cause the person to have supernatural strength. The spirit can also speak through this person.

A possess person is a tormented person. There seem to be no escape once the evil spirit has gained full control. The tortuous state of these people encompasses their body soul and spirit, leaving only a shell of a person, who writhing in pain.

Not all demonic activity reveals itself as clearly as we see in the image of a possess person that we have just described. Evil spirits also seek to influence the minds of people. None are as susceptible as those who actually seek to find and interact with these evil spirits. Some people have been drawn into the occult simply out of curiosity. By ignoring their natural fears and apprehensions people can find themselves in a realm of Satan and the evil spirits. Promises of power and fame draw some even deeper into the realm of witches, warlocks, and demons.

Seduction and Influence

“But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons,” (1Ti 4:1 NAS)

One of the questions that come up concerning demonic possession is: Can demons possess a person who is a Christian? The standard answer that we usually hear is that demons cannot possess you if you are a Christian, but they can oppress you. Oppression can come in different forms. There can be times that we encounter spiritual battles, because Satan and his minions are opposed to the work of God. If we are working with God to bring the gospel to people in bondage, we will possibly encounter resistance from these evil forces. But He that is in you is greater than he who is in the world (Satan). So, the following verse is our instruction if this is the case.

“Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” (Jas 4:7 NAS)

As stressful as satanic encounters may be, I believe that subtle satanic influence is much more dangerous. This happens when we let our guard down and allow ourselves to heed those subtle suggestions that slightly alter the pure Word of God. Just as Eve was tempted in the Garden, satanic voices are there to seduce us if we pay attention to them. If we pay attention to these voices, they will draw us into believing the deceitful doctrines of demons. We are warned that these teachings will cause us to fall from the faith, which ends in our destruction. Our safety lies in strict confidence in the unadulterated Word of God and resistance to compromise.

Exorcism, Casting Out Demons

With the rise of the enlightenment those who chose to ignore God’s revelation to man dismissed demon possession as mere superstition. They attempted to treat it as if there were naturalistic explanations for the bizarre behaviors exhibited in these individuals. They tried to understand it and treat it through modern phycology, medical treatments, and drugs. Their failures to deal with the spiritual realities left the victims either locked up or roaming the streets in the darker places of our societies.

In 1973 the movie “The Exorcist” came out awakening people’s interest in the demonic and exorcism. For many it awakened the reality of demon possession. I believe that this movie was just one of many indications of our increased vulnerability to demonic activity as our nation drifted further from our godly heritage. The walls of safety were being broken down as our national constitution was being eroded. Worse yet was the deterioration of our walls of safety for the Church. That wall of protection is the unadulterated Word of God. Drugs, sex, and rock n roll were tools of that demonic spiritual world that have helped to bring America to the brink of destruction.

Welcome to 2023

“For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.” (Mt 24:24 AV)

It is truly an age of unenlightenment. The world has gone mad as the fundamental laws of reality are being denied and ridiculed. Technology allows people to live their fantasies and people are encouraged to live in a realm of deceptive illusions. History is being maligned and rewritten. The truth is being ridiculed as people are being told what they want to be true. Sin is being celebrated and holiness is being punished. Freedom is used as a cloak to enslave.

I am not just talking about the world and worldly people, for the church has been infiltrated by the worldly culture. I will not go into all the particulars that have drawn me to this conclusion but I say these things to preface my critic of the movie, “Come Out In Jesus Name”. Many of the statements made in this movie are in contradiction to the Scripture.

The Movie: “Come Out in Jesus Name”

This movie does a good job of revealing how a large part of the American church has forgotten what it means to be Christian. One of the early statements that is made in this move says: “Christians need deliverance and much as the world.” I would contend, based upon Scripture, that people who are under the bondage of demons are not Christian. They go on to state: “Salvation is for the lost, but deliverance is for the church.” To make such statements makes me wonder what Bible they are reading. My Bible tells an entirely different story.

“34  Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin. 35  “And the slave does not remain in the house forever; the son does remain forever. 36  “If therefore the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed.” (Joh 8:34-36 NAS)

Jesus is our savior because He can set us free from our bondage to sin. Jesus did not die simply to set us free from the penalty of sin, but He delivers us from the bondage to sin so that we might be free indeed. It all begins with our acknowledgement of our sin and sinful state. To receive God’s grace for salvation we must repent of our sins which requires a commitment to abandon our sins. The next step is to be baptized in obedience to our Lord. Having done this, we are given the gift of the Holy Spirit to indwell in us. Having received His Holy Spirit by faith we are delivered from the bondage of sin and death. Salvation is deliverance, not merely a free pass to sin. Salvation is a new birth giving us spiritual life where we were once dead.

Jesus’ ministry was a ministry of deliverance. He delivered people from sickness, demon possession, and sin. It was His blood that was shed that pardoned our sin, providing a clean temple for the Holy Spirit to dwell in.

“And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” (Eph 4:30 NAS)

It is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit that identifies us as a child of God. Should we allow unclean spirits to dwell in our flesh, God’s Spirit would depart.

Demons, Demons, Everywhere

We all understand that a demon is an unclean or evil spirit. Demons seek to possess humans because they do not have a body. A demon can have a name, for they are spirit beings. God is a spirit. Angels are spirits. We have a spirit. But the creators of this movie manipulate us into thinking that references to the attributes of different spirits are names of demons.

For instance: the Apostle Paul said that we have not been given a spirit of fear. They use this reference as if there is a demon of fear that can demonize us. In reality, Paul is referring to the nature of the Holy Spirit and says that the Holy Spirit that we have been given is a spirit of power and soundness of mind. By manipulating the word spirit to always be referring to demon they demonize individual sins that people commit. If this concept was true, and it is not, then their demon would be a demon of deception.

So, they continue to build their case for a demonized church and give us the number one demon that needs to be cast out. “The number one demon that needs to be cast out is the demon of religion.” The they go on and say; “The reason people have a problem with deliverance ministries is because they are oppressed with the demon of religion.” If you follow their logic, you may be grasping the concept that demons specialize in different types of possession and oppression. Since demons are not omnipresent then there must be a whole bunch of religion demons.

“This is pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father, to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.” (Jas 1:27 NAS)

There is such a thing as pure religion, but it is based upon your character and your actions, not what possesses you. Throughout the movie they continue identify different human behaviors as the work of demons. Almost anything can be the result of demonic activity. You can have the demon of anger, gluttony, bulimia, sexual perversion, or whatever you want to name your demon. All these demons can be cast out of you in Jesus’ name.

Possessed, Oppressed, and Demonized

“And when evening had come, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed; and He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were ill” (Mt 8:16 NAS)

“You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good, and healing all who were oppressed by the devil; for God was with Him.” (Ac 10:38 NAS)

In Christian circles we often say that Christians cannot be possessed by a demon because the Holy Spirit dwells within us. But we concede that we could be oppressed by demons. If we are to glean from Scriptures what those words mean in context, we will find that Christians should never be possess or oppressed by demons. To be possess would mean that the demon in a sense owns you and is in control of your faculties. The word oppressed in the above scripture means that the devil had power over you. A Christian should never allow devils to have power over us because He who is in us is greater than he who is in the world.

What Christians mean when they say that demons or the devil may oppress us, is that we can be attacked by Satan or demons. Our resistance to these attacks is always successful, if we have faith in the armor that God has equipped us with and the power of the Spirit that resides within us.

But the makers of this movie have created their own doctrine. Their doctrine is not taught in Scripture. They know that we know that the Scripture is clear that the Holy Spirit will not share possession of a person with Satan or demons. So, they have to explain how a person can be a Christian and still have demons that needs to be cast out. They call this compromised state of a person as being demonized. They explain demonization by using the illustration of a house. They claim the Holy Spirit resides in the house but a demon can be in one of the rooms.

Here are their actual statements: “We are owned by Jesus Christ, but we can allow demons to come into our lives and possess part of us. Because we are owned by Jesus, we can drive them out.” “Something is controlling my flesh, controlling my mind even though I have crucified the flesh that is demonic.” “Light and darkness should not co-exist, but light and darkness can co-exist.”

Of course, these quotes contradict actual scriptures. There are no examples in Scripture of people being demonized. The example below that they use is of an entirely different nature than their idea of demonization.

“And because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to buffet me — to keep me from exalting myself!” (2Co 12:7 NAS)

They may be correct that the messenger of Satan may be a demon. But a thorn in the flesh is an external poking. That angel of Satan was buffeting him, which literally mean hitting him with a fist. There is nothing here to cast out, but rather the inconvenience of an external battle.

The Devil Made Me Do It

The devil made me do it! Is not this exactly what people want to believe? My action and attitudes are not the result of my unrepented sins but rather the work of demons. I have crucified my flesh. I have prayed and fasted. I have read my Bible and gone to church. I invited Jesus into my heart, so the sin that I do is not my doing but the work of demons. At least this is what the makers of this movie want you to believe. I am pretty sure that this is what Satan would want you to believe too.

If you find yourself in this condition, then they claim that you have been demonized. But there is deliverance for the believer. As believers we can have authority over these demonic beings through the name of Jesus Christ. It is this deliverance that is demonstrated in this film. Not only do we witness this deliverance on film, but we are told that all believer can exercise this authority over demons. With a loud shout, “COME OUT IN JESUS NAME”, we witness the departure of these demons.

The Witness

One of the examples that we see in this movie is a young man who appears to be demon possess and writhing on the ground uncontrollably. We are told that this young man is a Christian, an evangelist, and a preacher of the gospel. Yet we find him in this condition and through this deliverance ministry we see the demon cast out of him. Once the demon is cast out of him, he regains control and testifies of his deliverance.

As we are presented with services in which demons are being cast out in Jesus Name, the dialogue continues to tell us that as Christians there may be areas of out lives that are not submitted to Jesus Christ. It is in these areas of our lives that can be possess by demons. But since this is only a small area of our lives we cannot say that we are possess, but merely demonized.

There are signs that you are troubled by demons. If you were involved in the occult in you past, or have a generational curse, or if you have voices in your head, or if you are uncomfortable with deliverance ministries, then you may be troubled by demons. If you have anger impulses, random evil thoughts, or have things you cannot control then you might need deliverance from demons. Casting out these demons will set you free.

What the Scripture Says

“And such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of our God.” (1Co 6:11 NAS)

If we simply read Scripture, we get an entirely different picture of demons and their activities. If we are being controlled against our will, then we have not truly experienced salvation. Salvation is deliverance and if we again find ourselves in bondage it is because we have rebelled against the Spirit that dwelled within us. In this state we cannot be considered Christian. If we are guilty of sinning as a Christian, we can find forgiveness if we repent. God disciplines His children. But if we are under the power of a demon, we can no longer consider ourselves to be a child of God. Darkness cannot exist where there is light, regardless of what these false teachers declare.

“1 ¶  There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2  For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. 3  For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, 4  in order that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.” (Ro 8:1-4 NAS)

No where in all of Scripture do we find the erroneous teaching that is presented to us in this movie. There is no doubt that there are people that are possessed with evil spirits. There is no doubt that there are people that have been influence by the doctrines of demons. These people are not Christians for they are still in bondage.

It is true that our American churches are full of people who are still in bondage to sin. They seem to be powerless to free themselves from the sinful desires. These people are not Christians for they are walking according to the flesh and they are powerless to follow the leading of God’s Holy Spirit.

“And such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of our God.” (1Co 6:11 NAS)

If people are possessed, oppressed, demonized, or in away under the control of Satan or his demons, then through the power of God they can be delivered by the commanded authority of Jesus Name. Deliverance from demons does not free you from your bondage to sin. Deliverance from sin was purchased by the blood of Jesus Christ. To receive deliverance, you must repent of all of your sins. You must put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ as you Lord. Without a complete surrender you will not be washed, sanctified, and justified. In other word you will not be a Christian until the Holy Spirit finishes this work and you are born again as a new creation in Christ Jesus.

False Doctrines Bring False Hope

When we look and Scripture and see how Jesus delt with demon possession and sin it looks a lot different than what is revealed in this movie. Jesus spoke with authority and it was the demons that left hollering and screaming. These deliverance ministers create a rock concert atmosphere in their audiences and then they seem to be the ones screaming instead of the demons.

But what I think is most dangerous is the perception that they present that people are Christians that in fact are not according to Scripture. By doing this and blaming demons for the sins they are guilty of presenting a false reality. Instead of bringing sinners to an acknowledgement of their sin and a need to repent they insist that they can cast it out in Jesus’ name. The names they give these demons are the names of the things that the Scripture calls sin. Instead of leading these sinners to find salvation in Jesus Christ, they merely comfort them on their way to hell.

Do They Actually Cast Out Demons?

To be honest, I simply do not know if they actually cast out demons. I do know that there are demons and some of those who were filmed in this movie certainly looked like they were possessed. God is the judge, not me. But we all have the Scripture and we can read the Bible for ourselves. We can know for certain that those under the influence of Satan or demons are not Christians. We also can know that anyone who is still a slave to sin is not a Christian. We are to examine ourselves to see if we are in the faith. If we are in the faith, we will be following Jesus in righteousness, empowered with the gift of His Holy Spirit.

Is it possible to cast our demons if you are preaching false doctrine?

“22  “Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ 23  “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’” (Mt 7:22-23 NAS)

Yes, it is possible that you, by using the Name of Jesus, might cast our demons, even if you yourself are not redeemed. It is not for me to judge who is or is not a Christian. God is the judge and He will judge every person. Our duty as Christians is to share the Word of God which leads to Salvation. The Word is clear as to what we must do to receive salvation. If we believe and put our faith in God’s Word, then He will lead us into righteousness.

“17 ¶  And the seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.” 18  And He said to them, “I was watching Satan fall from heaven like lightning. 19  “Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall injure you. 20  “Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven.” (Lu 10:17-20 NAS)

                                                                                                                               Bob Gunderson

CHOOSE LIFE

It is Election Day and I would encourage all of God’s children to vote. Not only do I want you to vote but I want you to vote for the best candidates. In most cases the choice is clear, for we want wise leaders, and the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. It may not be clear if the candidate fears God and trusts in God’s Word, so in those cases vote for life. One party has taken the stance that individuals can make a better choice than God and choose to end the life of a person for their own convenience. When people have no fear of God they become fools.

Even if we have a constructive election outcome we need to realize that our Country is still in a desperate state. Our Nation needs to turn back to God and acknowledge our need for Him. Pray that godly influence will permeate our Country’s leadership. Without God we will fail. Read God’s reply to Job. We need more than just our right hand to be strengthened, we need God.

“6 ¶  Then the LORD answered Job out of the storm, and said, 7  “Now gird up your loins like a man; I will ask you, and you instruct Me. 8  “Will you really annul My judgment? Will you condemn Me that you may be justified? 9  “Or do you have an arm like God, And can you thunder with a voice like His? 10  “Adorn yourself with eminence and dignity; And clothe yourself with honor and majesty. 11  “Pour out the overflowings of your anger; And look on everyone who is proud, and make him low. 12  “Look on everyone who is proud, and humble him; And tread down the wicked where they stand. 13  “Hide them in the dust together; Bind them in the hidden place. 14  “Then I will also confess to you, That your own right hand can save you.” (Job 40:6-14 NAS)

And then God addressed those who claimed that they understood God and were convince that they knew what the judgments of God would be.

“7 ¶  And it came about after the LORD had spoken these words to Job, that the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “My wrath is kindled against you and against your two friends, because you have not spoken of Me what is right as My servant Job has. 8  “Now therefore, take for yourselves seven bulls and seven rams, and go to My servant Job, and offer up a burnt offering for yourselves, and My servant Job will pray for you. For I will accept him so that I may not do with you according to your folly, because you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has.”” (Job 42:7-8 NAS)

Before you justify yourself and rejoice in the fact that Job’s friends were humbled before God, read some of their conversations. These were intelligent, knowledgeable men who were able to present logical conclusions from what they felt was a godly perspective. Their assumptions led them to false conclusions and they ended up making judgments about Job and God that were not correct.

Seek that wisdom that is from above. Pray and search the Scriptures for in them we have the Words of Life.

HELLO, Is anybody Home?

My new book is now available as an eBook. It will soon be available in paperback. I believe that Jesus is coming back soon. I have written this book to those who identify as “Christian”. Jesus is standing at the door knocking, requesting to share with us. In this book I am attempting to share His message with you. Will you listen to what He has to say?

Why Did Jesus Die?

• Atonement for Sin

To make atonement for sins and provide forgiveness, God set up a system of sacrifices in the Old Testament. This was a temporary system until a lamb could be provided that would be sacrificed once for all. The word atonement in the Old Testament means to cover, as with pitch or asphalt. As we move into the New Testament Jesus came to us as that perfect Lamb that would be slain for the removal of sin. The word “atonement” that is used in the New Testament has an entirely different meaning than that same word used in the Old Testament. The meaning of the Greek word translated “atonement”, means to reconcile. It is a book keeping term meaning to pay the debt.

Often in New Testament theology the term “atonement” is used in reference to Jesus making payment for our debt of sin. Jesus’ shed blood on the cross was the only possible sacrifice that could have paid that debt, once for all. So the answer of the question is best answered by Jesus himself.

“for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins.” (Mt 26:28 NAS)

Throughout the teachings in the New Testament this truth is repeated.

“In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;” (Eph 1:7 AV)

“In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:” (Col 1:14 AV)

“And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.” (Heb 9:22 AV)

“And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” (1Jo 2:2 AV)

Jesus died as atonement for our sins. Simply put this is the only reason Christ died. Christ died for our sins because He was the only sacrifice that would have been sufficient. It was necessary that Jesus become a man to fulfill the standard of being a perfect and sinless sacrifice. The Scripture plainly tell us that without this sacrifice there is no forgiveness of sins and we were all destined to die for our own sins.

Redemption

“4 ¶  But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5  even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),” (Eph 2:4-5 NAS)

Salvation comes through faith and repentance, leading us to a new birth in which we become spiritually alive in Christ. Our bodies are not redeemed and will eventually die. But we await the day of Christ’s return in which we will be given resurrected bodies that will not decay and die.

It was the atonement for our sin that made it possible that we could be cleansed from all unrighteousness. This is what made it possible that God could fill us with His Holy Spirit. This gives us power over our flesh that we can walk in the Spirit in newness of life.

I briefly remind you of these things as I present correction for those who claim healing in the atonement.

Sound Doctrine

“1 ¶  I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; 2  Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. 3  For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4  And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” (2Ti 4:1-4 AV)

Correcting unsound doctrine is not easy. When a doctrine has been embraced it can become part of people’s identity. That is why it is important to correct unsound teaching before it becomes ingrained. For doctrine to be sound it must first be supported by Scripture. In addition it cannot be in conflict with Scripture. I mention both of these because people can build a case for a doctrine being supported by Scripture purely through logic, often lacking any instance of a clear reading from Scripture itself.

Is Healing in the Atonement?

Through the years the idea that healing was in the atonement has taken root in some Christian circles. In the early part of the century the Pentecostal movement swept the country. There was a revival of faith and many experienced a move of God’s Spirit and saw the power of the Spirit manifest as it was witnessed in the Book of Acts. Often people were healed of sickness and disease. God’s power to save and heal was found to be just as real today as it was in the Book of Acts.

One of the teachings to come out of this movement was that healing was in the atonement. This teaching became popular, teaching that just as we receive salvation by faith, we can also obtain physical healing by faith. They taught that since healing was in the atonement it was paid for on the cross.

The problem is that the Scripture does not teach that healing is in the atonement. Likewise people are not healed simply because they believe and put their faith in that belief. The confusion comes in when people are not careful with God’s Holy Word. The following scripture was used to prove this teaching.

“24  and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. 25  For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.” (1Pe 2:24-25 NAS)

By extracting, “by His wounds you were healed”, teachers declared that we are healed by the sacrifice of Christ on the cross. In other words healing is in the atonement. But if we keep everything in context it becomes obvious that this is talking about a spiritual healing. It says that Jesus bore our sins on the cross so that we might die to sin and live righteously. This is all about the new birth, dying and being raised in newness of life. Our healing that is provided in the atonement cures us of our sin sickness. Previously we were continual straying like sheep, but now we can have a restored a healthy stable relationship between us and the Guardian of our souls. The atonement was for sin and sin alone.

God Can Heal

Jesus died to make atonement for sins because there was no other way to provide forgiveness from sin. But Jesus did not have to die to be able to heal us of our sickness and disease. God healed people in the Old Testament. He even raised the dead in the Old Testament. But without Christ’s sacrifice of atonement, sin could not be cured. Sickness, disease, and death are the results of sin.

Before Christ died He demonstrated that He could heal every disease, cast out demons, and raised the dead. But all of these things were as temporary as the sacrifices of lambs were for sin. Jesus sent out his disciples and they also healed the sick and cast out demons. Obviously it was not necessary for Christ to die for divine healing to take place.

After Christ Died For Sins

There was a dramatic increase in healings after Christ died for our sins. Of course the reason for this is obvious. The atonement for sins by the shedding of Christ’s blood washed our sins away and cleansed us from all unrighteousness. Clean vessel provided temples for the Holy Spirit to dwell in. The Gospel went out in the power of the Spirit in the lives of believers. Through the gifts of the Spirit the love of God was demonstrated through miracles, signs, and healings. Today that power still works through God’s servants and healing is one of the ways God uses to promote His purpose.

So we could say that healings are taking place because of the atonement Christ made for sin. But we need to be careful that we do not claim that healing is in the atonement. Physical healing does not save us, nor is it permanent. God has a plan that is much better than simply repairing our mortal bodies, although He does just that at times. God’s plan is to give us an immortal body, one that will not be subject to death and disease.

The Danger of False Doctrine

I have shown you from Scripture that Christ’s atonement for sin was for the purpose of saving us from eternal damnation. Through the atonement we are not only saved from the penalty of sin but also from the bondage of sin. By faith we act in obedience and repent of our sins and are filled with God’s Spirit. By faith we pursue a life of righteousness, knowing that when our salvation is complete we will receive a new immortal body. By faith we can have assurance that we are indeed saved. But if physical healing is part of the atonement then we are in trouble.

If salvation and physical healing are both in the atonement then both would have to be received by faith. Just as you trusted in Jesus for your salvation you could trust Him for your physical healing. Because I have been in congregations all my life that taught this doctrine, I know that faith for healing does not always result in a person being healed. Even as a child I wondered why the preacher teaching that God will heal you was holding on to a pair of glasses. I watched people struggling with their faith because they were not healed. Why weren’t they healed? Did they lack faith? Even those who were healed eventually got sick and died.

The doctrine of salvation is clearly taught in Scripture. Faith in God’s Word is how we can have assurance of salvation. If our physical healing is also in the atonement then we can have full assurance that we will be healed if have faith. Since most people are not healed because of lack of faith, how do we know they have enough faith for salvation? Is it easier to believe for salvation than for healing? Is not salvation a greater miracle? Unless we just ignore this dilemma, we have just created doubt about our faith for salvation. Yet God wants us to have a strong assurance of our salvation.

Sound doctrine must be backed by Scripture. Often people think their doctrines are backed by Scripture simply because of their logical conclusions. But sound doctrine cannot be in conflict with Scripture as this doctrine does. There are teachings about physical healing, but inserting healing into the atonement is a violation of Scriptural integrity. There is a lot of false doctrine that muddies the water of sound Christian teaching. Much of that can be cleared up if we simply keep things in context.

Let’s not cheapen the precious blood of Jesus by applying it where it is not needed. God would not have sacrificed His Only Begotten Son unless there was no other way to make atonement for sin. God has provided all of our physical needs for us while we were sinners. Jesus fed the multitude, cast out demons, healed the sick, and even showed his power over all of creation. But to make atonement for sin He shed His precious blood.

       Bob Gunderson

It was the 10^th day of Nisan in the year 33 AD.  People from all over the Empire were gathering in the capitol of a small nation to celebrate Passover. As the preparations for the celebration were proceeding a large crowd gathered to welcome the great Prophet and Teacher as He approached the entrance of the city. As the Teacher approached, riding on a donkey, the crowd began to praise God and sing: “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord; Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

The multitude that gathered around him began laying their coats in the road and cutting branches from the trees and laying them before Him. But there were Pharisees in the crowd that were offended and demanded that Jesus rebuke His disciples to silence them. He answered them and said, “If these are silenced the rocks will cry out”.

Of course the Pharisees would not let the matter drop. It is an attempted insurrection the claimed. “We must stifle this attempted overthrow of the government by these peasants. We must investigate this matter, uncover this evil plot, and bring the leaders to justice.”

Over the course of the next four days they plotted and interrogated those involved trying to forcing the matter into the courts. Obvious to them, this was a giant conspiracy to overthrow the government, for the majority favored the leader of this insurrection. And when this teacher rose up and disrupted the commerce in the temple in preparation for Passover, it was clear something must be done. Surely there was only one way to undermine this conspiracy and they began plotting how they could put this Teacher to death.

The breakthrough finally came when one of the inner circle agreed to betray the Teacher. Under the cover of darkness they made an arrest and staged court hearings behind closed doors. Their planning and plotting was paying off, for they had arranged for false witnesses to collaborate their accusations. With a slight twisting of the teachers own words they were able to present evidence of an insurrection. For the most part the Teacher remained silent offering no defense. When finally the hearings reached the highest court the Teacher was confronted with a straight forward question: Are you the King of the Jews? To the surprise of all in attendance the Teacher simply admitted that He was the rightful King.

On the 14^th of Nisan in the year 33 AD the Pharisees were convinced that they had succeeded in stifling the insurrection and conspiracy of this Teacher riding on a donkey and His palm waving followers. Jesus was crucified on a cross and died. For a while they thought that their positions of power in the government were secure and the effects of this man’s teaching would soon disappear.

What happened three days later would rock their world and forever change the course of history. Jesus resurrection changed everything and remains the testimony of the rightful ruler over all of creation. It is this testimony that inspires and empowers His palm waving followers to this day. Though His conquering of death, hell, and the grave, Jesus became our Savior and will soon return to judge the usurpers of His authority on earth. Jesus will overthrow the conspiracy of those who plot with Satan to discredit Jesus and His followers. The actual insurrection will be exposed and judged. And we will wave our palm branches and cry, “Our Lord reigns, Our Lord reigns.”

The plot of the Pharisees in AD 33 backfired and the Gospel of Jesus Christ continues to spread throughout the world producing faith and hope in all that will believe in the love of God that will conquer all.

 Deficit Spending

The Selling of the American Dream

 What is it with the national debt? Is there a limit to spending or not? There are also states that are deep in debt. There is also a massive student loan debt. There are also a multitude of people defaulting on debt. All of this is being accelerated during the Covid-19 crisis and mass rioting across the country.

For years I have been pondering the seeming unconcerned attitude of most of the leadership of our Country. How can we continue to borrow at historic rates even during times of economic growth? Doesn’t simple math show us that eventually we will owe more in interest payments than we are taking in from taxes? Does government spending exist in a different reality than my personal finances?

Logically it seemed like we all should have been concerned as deficit spending was becoming the norm and we were entering the 21^st century. But indifference seemed to permeate our entire society. As the internet opened new avenues of commerce, borrowing became even more reckless. For a while the   economy seemed to booming, that is, until it crashed. But what was the answer to the crash? Well, we need to borrow more, and the bailouts began. Everyone who was anyone still got paid and it appeared like there were even rewards for failure.

Was the whole world going crazy or was it just me? Could it really be true that 2 + 2 was not necessarily 4? Is it really possible to borrow your way out of debt? First we were talking millions, then billions, and now trillions. When I raised the issue of a trillion dollar bailout in 2008 with a friend, I was corrected. “Bob”, he said, “I can’t believe you would exaggerate so much. The bailout was only 800 billion, you were exaggerating by two hundred billion.” I stood corrected, but the bailouts continued in spite of the growing national debt.

Since 2008 we have added to the national debt 1 trillion dollars a year. A trillion dollars is such a large number that it is hard for us to even grasp the size of this figure and the national debt is 26 trillion dollars and rapidly growing.

And then 2020 hit and the response to the Covid-19 crisis was to shut down the economy. So in addition to our stifled economy and enormous borrowing practices Congress borrowed an additional trillion dollars without a blink of an eye. And this was just the beginning because they are contemplating at least another trillion and Democrats are wondering why the Republicans are dragging their feet at even more extreme borrowing.

What if someone was to suggest that we need a reality check, we can’t continue this extreme deficit speeding, can we? No doubt the response will be, but it is necessary and it is working.

In the past there were restrictions on how much we could borrow. I can remember the battles and the partial government shutdowns, but eventually the restraints were removed and we moved on. Life continued and the debt ceiling kept getting raised. Disciplining congress to live within a budget that was based upon income seemed impossible. As a nation we simply could not limit spending because we are doing so much good. Is that right?

Why does it seem like deficit spending is working for our nation, but would not work for our personal finances? Why don’t we as a nation have to balance the budget based upon income? Why does deficit spending seem to be working?

The truth is that it is not working, that is if we are to consider life in the future. Let me attempt to explain why it seems to be working. To start with we need to understand the difference between my finances and those of this nation. Although I did not receive an inheritance of lands and money I did have an inheritance. For my first few years of life my parents provided everything I needed and made sure that I received an education and developed skills that would allow me to provide for myself as I became an adult. Growing up I had the advantage of many things that made life more comfortable than the environment my parent grew up in. Likewise my children had the use of many things that were not available when I grew up. And now my grandchildren are growing up in a world that is enhanced with many advances that were intended to make life more comfortable and provides a multitude of diverse opportunities.

Likewise if we are to analyze our nation’s wealth and finances we need to consider the accumulation of wealth that we have inherited. When we look at the span of history from the settling of the Pilgrims until now, we see the pattern similar to my own family history, only on a much larger scale. This land that the Pilgrims first encountered was rich in natural resources, but it was undeveloped wealth. The people that inhabited this land at this time seemed to have been living generation after generation with little or no change in their living conditions. As we are gradually, through archaeology, getting a glimpse of ancient societies, we are beginning to see that civilization had actually gone downhill in the Americas. The inhabitants of North America, when the Pilgrims landed, were for the most part living a basic subsistence life.

So what does all this have to do with our national indebtedness and the direction of our country? I want us to compare a snapshot of this country in 1600 to a snapshot of our country in 2020. If somehow we could assign a monetary value to our existing country compared to its value in 1600 we would realize how much wealth had been accrued over the last 400 years.

Young people that are citizens of this country are recipients of this tremendous accumulated wealth that is the result of generations of toil and hard work. Their levels of comfort far exceed the comforts that King Solomon had with all his wealth and wisdom. And all of this they have simply inherited without any effort on their part. It is their ignorance of our history and how the United States became a world leader that is allowing people to accept the foolish mismanagement of our wealth. For the most part, the present living generations are totally ignorant of the blessing of God on this nation and the efforts of past generations that built this nation. The result is a people that are arrogant, unthankful, ungrateful, self-centered, and ignorantly self-destructive.

Let’s get back to my beginning question of how we can continue to operate this country with deficit spending that continues to increase. Understanding the vast accumulated wealth of this country helps us to begin to understand. My “ah ha” moment came one day while I was listening to Tom Selleck. As Tom was sharing the plight of a widow whose husband had died, he described how the plight of this widow created a reason for the creation of a reverse mortgage. For individuals who are unable to earn enough money to continue to live in their own home a reverse mortgage would make it possible that they could use the equity that is already accrued to buy whatever they needed. Since they are old and don’t have many more years to live there is enough accrued equity in their house to keep them comfortably living in their own home until they die.

As you can see a reverse mortgage actually seems to make sense for old people that are simply living out the last years of their life. But if you want to keep the home in the family and use this home as foundational to building a community for an expanding family, then this type of mortgage is not for you.

If you expand the concept of a reverse mortgage to the vast holdings of the United States you can see how so many people can become comfortable with the United States’ deficit spending. It is in essence a reverse mortgage. When we were young nation, concerned about future generations, we only borrowed money for things like our national defense (defensive wars), building infrastructure (railroads, roads, bridges, etc), and research. We not only were concerned about our posterity, but from our earliest days many of our citizens saw a greater purpose for this fledgling nation. We were to be as a city on a hill, a light to bring the gospel to every nation on earth. We were an example of what could be accomplished when people were free, and our example transformed the way the nations of the world were governed.

Somewhere along the line that vision was lost for many people and we have produced the most ungrateful generation that has ever existed. Without the vision and an understanding of history our purpose has been lost or perverted. We are seen by many in this nation as a dying nation, a nation whose ideas are outdated. Without an understanding of the unchanging truths that were foundational in forming this nation there is no incentive invest in our future or care about keeping this nation’s ideals alive. So let us eat drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die.

No generation in the history of the world has had such an opportunity for such a large reverse mortgage. What other country has been able to tell their people to just stay home and we will send you a check for not working. So we spend a trillion dollars here and a trillion dollars there. Are you in pain? We have a pill for that too. How about those in countries that don’t have as large an inheritance as ours, we can help there too. Money is no object, because our enemies are willing to lend us money to give to you. Isn’t a reverse mortgage just great? We can live in our own house, enjoy all the comforts this world can produce, without worrying about how to pay for it. Of course this only works because our posterity will not inherit a free nation, but will be slaves.

Does this remind you of a story in the Bible? It should because it is the story of the prodigal son. If you will remember he had a lot of friends until he ran out of money and then he was the lowest of inhabitants in the land. It was in the saddest state of affairs that the prodigal finally woke up.

Our nation can be likened to the prodigal, because it has forgotten that our wealth is the result of the blessing that have come from our Father in Heaven. We no longer have our Father’s blessing and are expending the blessings of past generations. A reverse mortgage only makes sense for a nation if it does not intend to live very long, and that is the reality in America today. Our nation is dying. Our only salvation is that we come back to our senses and return to our Father and beg to be as one of his servants. If we would do that, our loving Father would restore us to our previous position. Until that happens we will continue to witness the insanity going on all around us.

It should also remind us about the attitudes of the two brothers, Jacob and Esau. Esau was willing to trade his inheritance for one meal to satisfy his immediate hunger. Jacob, on the other hand, recognized the value of the birthright. This birthright was linked to much more than sheep and goats, but also included the blessings of God and the promise of the fulfilled purpose of God to bless the world. The promise of God to Abraham was at stake here. Likewise, the inherited wealth of this nation is linked to its foundational purpose to bless the whole world. The United States is more than just the wealth in its assets. Those assets, if used properly enable us to impact the whole world for good. This was the vision of its founders as they strove to create a nation built upon the principle laid down in God’s Holy Word.

It is the understanding of these principles that make this issue so important to those who have insight into the purpose of God. Just as Esau despised his birthright, there are many in our country today that are more interested in their immediate comfort than the future of this nation. These people despise their inheritance and are willing easily dispense with it. This nation was not founded based upon a particular piece of real-estate, or an ethnic people group. This nation was founded upon a vision based upon the Word of God. That vision, even in its earliest state, saw more than just the creation of a nation, but they foresaw this nation as becoming an example for the entire world. And this nation has been a blessing to the whole world, both politically and spiritually.

Again I remind you that many in our present generations have been deprived of the true history of the United States.  Also when they look around at what this nation has become they are confronted with the corruption that has defiled our Constitution. Government corruption has been revealed. Unjust judges are dictating from their benches. Rioting is going on in the streets and our cities are being trashed and burned. Deprived of the wisdom that comes from our creator they are left with a very cynical concept of who were as and nation and what we have become.

In spite of all this the vast majority of people are still securely in their own homes and view these things as through a window. The effects of a reverse mortgage have a numbing effect on their view of reality, because they are still living a comfortable life as they are expending the wealth of their inheritance. There are not many pioneers left and many in the older generations don’t seem to be as concerned with their posterity as the pioneering generations. They are comfortable with the benefits that a reverse mortgage holds for them.

Reverse mortgages exist because there are people that are benefiting from them. The old and dying that are not concerned about leaving an inheritance are benefiting. The lender also is going to benefit as they are the recipient of a lifetime of labor and will receive the inheritance. Granted the inheritance will now be of lesser value, but those who would have inherited the house are now your slaves and you will be the recipient of their future labor. Viewing this from a national perspective, the lender will control the nation.

Logically you would think that the people that would most concerned would be the younger generations. But they have been brain-washed. Their parents have neglected to make sure that they learned history. They have lost their identity and are floundering trying to find it. They don’t understand where they have come from or where they are going. They have been raised separated from the real world. The accumulated wealth of past generations has been handed to them with little or no effort on their part. Their education has for the most part been a pack of lies. They have been allowed to live in a world of their imaginations inspired by the illusions presented through the internet, movies, and government education. Truly they have lived in a world up-side-down, as good is presented as evil, and evil is presented as good.

So when they see cities being torn apart and burned it doesn’t affect them as it should. They have no concept of the effort that has gone into building this country with its entire infrastructure. They have no concept of what it takes to unify a nation or the principles that make a good society. They can watch businesses burning, because in their imagination, they can just start over with a clean slate as simply as starting a new video game. Their heroes are community organizers, protesters, and criminals. Their heroes are good at tearing things down, but are worthless when it comes to building something up. The terms of a reverse mortgage will affect them the most, but they are clueless. They have received everything they have with little or no effort and cannot imagine that this would change when the equity of their nation is gone.

The reverse mortgage our nation is borrowing on is much more complicated than a simple reverse mortgage a person takes out on their house. Even in our nation today there are still builders and people with vision for the future. The problem is that there is a growing number of people living a parasitic life drawing from our inheritance. The complexity of a nation our size makes it almost impossible to calculate when exactly our nation will collapse. Never-the-less if we don’t see a dramatic change in direction our nation is destined to collapse and great will be the fall of it.

Sadly the principles I have just presented are also true in the church too. The present generations are recipients of the grace of God and the prayers of past generations.  The patterns we see in the history of Israel are being played out in the unfolding history of the United States. The prayers of past generations are only going to take us so far and then we will have to give answer for how we handled our inheritance. Without a personal relationship with God and the development of righteous living we will end up destitute and separated from God for eternity. Reverse mortgages are only good for those who are dying. For those who desire life, we must be building on the foundation that God has given us through Christ Jesus. This is an inheritance that we did not work for, but we must not despise it. Rather it was meant to be our foundation on which God intended to build us up on.

Lamentation from,

Bob Gunderson

“Remember the day you stood before the LORD your God at Horeb, when the LORD said to me, ‘Assemble the people to Me, that I may let them hear My words so they may learn to fear Me all the days they live on the earth, and that they may teach their children.” (De 4:10 NAS)

In my book, “Ceding the High Ground”, I took the time to go through the Ten Commandments. Although the Ten Commandments have become neglected in our present time, never-the-less they remain foundational in Christianity and our relationship with our Heavenly Father. Jesus taught us that the whole of Scripture (the Law and the Prophet) rested on these two commandments: Love the Lord your God, and love your neighbor. The Ten Commandments are merely an extension of these commandments, a fundamental understanding of how we are to love God and our neighbor. The first three commandments are about loving God. The first commandment is the footing of that foundation.

“You shall have no other gods before Me.” (Ex 20:3 NAS)

The fourth commandment is that meeting place where loving God and loving your fellow man intersects. It was intended to provide a time of rest, reflection, and fellowship with God and Man. Its benefits are many as it serves to help us maintain the proper perspective. The keeping of the Sabbath  was a sign of our covenant with God.

 “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. “Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath of the LORD your God; in it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter, your male or your female servant or your cattle or your sojourner who stays with you. “For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day and made it holy.” (Ex 20:8-11 NAS)

The last six commandments are about our relationships with each other. These commandment are basic guidelines that help us keep in mind that we are to love and respect our neighbor. These commands form the basis of righteous law. Violating these commands undermines the respect for those who were created in the image of God. If we neglect to follow these commands we sin against God Himself, for we were all created in His likeness and image, intended to fellowship with our Lord.

The first of these commandments is: “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be prolonged in the land which the LORD your God gives you.” (Ex 20:12 NAS)

As I was writing my book this command began to take on special meaning in my understanding. As I was presenting a case for the moral high ground in education and later the subject of our identity, I began to see this command as foundational. I began to see it as the footing of the commands that follow. Failure to fulfill this command has a crippling effect on all of our moral and spiritual life.

Parents are the first place we as children encounter authority. God’s plan was to use this as a path to lead us into a relationship with Him, our Heavenly Father. Our first duty is to acquire knowledge and our parent’s duty is to present us with true knowledge. Without the proper respect for our teacher the road ahead becomes bumpy and our lives unstable. A healthy fear is advantageous and will guard us from many sorrows in the future. The position of honor and respect is of utmost importance for parents to fulfill their duty to raise their children in the fear and admonition of the Lord.

“Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER (which is the first commandment with a promise), THAT IT MAY BE WELL WITH YOU, AND THAT YOU MAY LIVE LONG ON THE EARTH.” (Eph 6:1-3 NAS)

When children become old enough to understand, this commandment is directed to them. Children are to submit to their parent’s guidance and instruction willingly. It is important that they see this as instruction that has come from God himself and that it is intended for their well being. Until they are old enough to understand, it is up to the parents to exercise their authority to apply the wisdom of God in the education of their children, for oddly enough the fulfillment of this command begins with the mother and father.

Parents have been given a position of authority over their children. In recognition of the responsibility that this position holds, parents need to strive to live worthy of the respect their children are to give them. Following the example of our Heavenly Father, parents are to exercise their authority for the benefit and will-being of their children. Parents are to teach a strict adherence to the Law of God. Foremost on the top of the list is obedience to parents. Just like our relationship with our Heavenly Father it is important that we begin with obedience. Knowledge, wisdom, and understanding will follow if they are built on the foundation that begins with obedience.

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction.” (Pr 1:7 NAS)

A health fear is foundational. Children need to have a fear of their parents, and they will acquire a health fear if they are disciplined correctly by their parents. The sooner children understand that there are consequences to sin the easier their life will be. Disciple needs to be swift and sure. If we are to reveal to our children what it is like in the Kingdom of God we must exercise our authority with grace and justice. The world they are entering does not adhere to God’s standards and without instructions from God’s Word they will have false expectation. Judgment in this World is not always swift and not always just. When the kingdoms of this World become the kingdom of our Lord all this will change. Our job as parents is to prepare our children for this event.

As our culture drifts from the concepts of Biblical authority, most parents no longer teach their children the proper honor and respect necessary for them to fulfill their duty properly as they attempt to instill Godly moral values. As their children mature to adulthood they struggle with the Law of God because they never learned to submit to authority. Strict adherence to the commandments of God has become a rarity even amongst those raise in “Christian” families. Why? Has God gotten soft on sin? Absolutely not! Sin will be dealt with. But people have lost their fear of God and they stand in extreme danger.

I believe a lot of our problems stem from the neglect of this one commandment. Honor needs to be instilled at a fundamental level. If it isn’t we end up right where we are today, in a lawless society where the unrighteous are respected more than the righteous. Our once godly nation is collapsing before our eyes. Evil and lawlessness are rampant all because we as a society have lost our fear of God. And it all began when we failed to teach our children proper respect for their parents.

In the days when Christ walked the earth, the religious people had become legalistic, but not law abiding, for they had lost their fear of God and had become arbiter of law. Interestingly when Jesus addressed this issue he used this commandment to illustrate his point. He said, “You have failed to Honor you Father and Mother”. This is the first commandment with a promise. This is not just a commandment for little children. Neither is it simply there to give parents power over their children. This commandment is foundational for teaching us the obedience necessary for us to enter the kingdom of Heaven.

Faith and obedience go hand in hand. Children disobey their parents because they don’t trust their parent’s wisdom. They think they know better than their parents about what is best for themselves. Likewise disobedience to God shows a lack of faith in God. The true sign of faith in God is our obedience to His instruction. Without faith it is impossible to please God.

Psychology has convinced people that teaching children strict obedience to parents is unnecessary and detrimental to their development. God knows better, and has put this commandment as head of the instructions regarding our relationships with each other. Treating people with respect begins at home. Respect for authority and law are necessary for a civil society. Honor and respect for God and Christ Jesus leads us to salvation and reconciliation with our heavenly Father.

“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be prolonged in the land which the LORD your God gives you.” (Ex 20:12 NAS)

“Cursed is he who dishonors his father or mother.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.” (De 27:16 NAS)

Bob Gunderson

Herd immunity achieved in Brooklyn Jewish community?

The Jewish community in New York is now experiencing the benefits of herd immunity because they found the restrictive rules impossible to follow and live properly. In this picture they are opening a park for their kids to play in instead of hunkering at home.

Is it time to hunker down, or is it time to rise up? I am a strong believer in conducting our lives as Christians in a careful prayerful manner. How are we as Christians to respond in this era of COVID-19? If your answer was carefully and prayerfully, then you were correct. But after four months, if you have been in prayer, shouldn’t we have some answers? If not then maybe you have been asking God the wrong questions. The questions we don’t need answered to are about what God is going to do. The question we need answered is what are we supposed to do.

Maybe we need to ask ourselves some questions first: Such as do we fear God or do we fear people? Do we care more about man’s approval or God’s approval of our conduct and speech? Do we place man’s authority above God’s authority?

We as Americans are privileged to have a constitution that was intended to guarantee that our government could not usurp the authority of God: “Congress shall make no law …”. Now, in violation of the first amendment and the Word of God, we are being dictated to as to how, where, and when we can meet together to worship God. Should we just do the best we can under the authoritative rule of the usurpers of law, or should we rise up and do what the Scripture instructs us to do and forsake not our meetings as we see the day of His returning drawing closer?

Because of time and space and the short attention span of present day readers I will not go into all the details that reveal the foolishness of people to believe that those pushing their agendas have your best interest at heart. Trust God, not man.

Paul encouraged us to live lawfully, and he did. But that did not mean that he submitted to every demand of those rulers who usurped the authority that was higher than theirs. I guess that is why he ended up in prison so often and was beaten, stoned, and shipwrecked. The encouragement in the Scripture is to stand firm, going forth with the gospel of Christ. I cannot seem to find any place where it infers that we ought to hunker down and wait for all danger to pass.

If every church and their leaders would stand up united and stand firm in our right and duty to keep the churches open, then we would not be in our present predicament. I am afraid that when we look back on this time in history, we will recognize a lost opportunity to maintain our freedom and preserve the autonomy of Christ’s Church in America. Ironically our President is making a better defense for our churches than most of our pastors.

“You must be a person who sees the glass as half empty”, someone once told me. In other words this person was suggesting that I was a pessimist. I prefer to think of myself as a realist. If the glass is being filled, then it is half full. If the glass is being emptied then it is half empty.

While it is true that most of the time it is more enjoyable being around an optimist than a pessimist, there is danger in attempting to look at all of life through either of these lenses. As a farmer is harvesting his crops he is aware that his bin may be half full and continues to work, for he knows winter is coming. Some may view him as pessimistic because he doesn’t think half full will be enough to see him through winter. Later, when winter is nearly over he sees his bin as half empty and some people may think of him as pessimistic. But it is his realistic view of his bin that inspires him to prepare to plant a new crop, so that when his bin is empty he will have produce to fill it.

The farmer is a realist. He also has a persistent optimism that is fueled by faith and obedience. He has confidence that if he will do his part and plant his best seed, then God will cause it to grow and multiply. It is also important that he has a healthy pessimism and recognizes when the bin is half empty.

It is the same in every area of our life; realistic optimism is the product of faith and obedience. We have every reason in the world to be optimistic if we trust God and live according to His instructions. But we have every reason to be pessimistic if people choose to trust their own understandings and ignore the wisdom that comes from above. It will not end well for these people.

Our recent pandemic brings these issues to the surface. Optimists are looking toward governments and scientists for answers and direction. Optimistically they declare, “We will get through this together.” Pessimists are hiding in homes and behind masks. Some are taking their own lives. Some are neglecting tending to the necessities of life out of fear. Fear has brought many into submission to those who seek to rule. Fear has supplanted logic and reason and it seems like the whole world has fallen under the spell of the evil one.

As a realist I retain a realistic optimism, because I have faith in Jesus Christ. If I trust God and live according to His Word, then it will go well with me. I am also optimistic because of the mercy of God that is extended to those who are in ignorance of His mercy and grace. I am optimistic because God answers the prayers of His children. I am optimistic because everyone who puts their faith in God and lives according to His Word will be saved. But I also have a realistic pessimism. Unless people wake up and realize that this fear is being used as a tool to strip us of our liberty, our nation as established by our forefathers is dead. If we continue in this spirit of tyranny that has swept our country, as a country we will never recover. This is the spirit of anti-Christ.

I am a realistic optimist because of one small word that occurs over and over in the Scripture. That word is “IF”: If my people …, If you repent…, If you are willing … My faith is established in what follows these ifs, because then God will do what we cannot do.