"The Audacity of Hope"

Live casting around the world from the desert metropolis of Phoenix, Arizona. This is the dividing line. The Apostle Peter commanded Christians to be ready to give a defense for the hope that is within us.

Yet to give that answer with gentleness and reverence. Our host is dr. James white director of Alpha Omega ministries and an elder at the Phoenix reformed Baptist Church. This is a live program and we invite your participation.

If you'd like to talk with dr. White call now. It's 602 9 7 3 4 6 0 2 or toll-free across the United States. It's 1 8 7 7 7 5 3 3 3 4 1. And now with today's topic here is James white.

The Christian Reputation and the Culture-War Backlash Over Homosexuality

When asked by the Barna group what words or phrases best describe Christianity the top response among Americans ages 16 to 29 was anti-homosexual. For a staggering 91 of non-christians This was the first word that came to their mind when asked about the Christian faith.

The same was true for 80 of young churchgoers the next most common negative images. Judgmental hypocritical and too involved in politics. In The book that documents these findings titled un-christian David Kinnaman writes.

The gay issues become the big one the negative image. Most likely to be intertwined with Christianity's reputation. It is also dimensions the most clearly demonstrates young the un-christian faith to young people today.

Surfacing in a spate of negative perceptions. Judgmental bigoted sheltered right-wingers hypocritical insincere and uncaring. Outsiders say Christian hostility toward gays has become virtually synonymous with the Christian faith.

Later research documented in Kinnaman's you lost me reveals that one of the top reasons 59 of young adults I Have lost my Thing here, we'll find it again. 59 of young adults with a Christian background have left the church is because they perceive the church to be too exclusive particularly regarding their LGBT friends.

Eight million. Twenty-somethings have left the church and this is one reason why in my experience all the anecdotal evidence backs up the research. By the way I'm reading something here. This is not me speaking.

I hope you understand that when I speak at Christian colleges I often take time to chat with students in the cafeteria when I ask them what issues are most important to them. They consistently report that they are frustrated by how the church has treated their gay and lesbian friends.

Some of these students would say they mostly. They most identify with what groups like the gay Christian network term. Side a they believe homosexual relationships have the same value as heterosexual Relations in the sight of God.

Others better identify with side B. They believe only male-female relationship in marriage is God's intent for sexuality. But every single student I have spoken with believes that the church has mishandled its response to homosexuality.

Most have close gay and lesbian friends. Most feel the church's response to homosexuality is partly responsible for high rates of depression and suicide among their gay and lesbian friends particularly those who are gay and Christian.

Most are highly suspicious of ex-gay ministries that encourage men and women with same-sex. Attractions to marry members of the opposite sex in spite of their feelings. Most feel the church is complicit at least at some level in anti gay bullying and.

Most I dare say all have expressed to me passionate opposition to legislative action against gays and lesbians. When evangelicals turn their anti gay sentiments into a political campaign when college senior on her way to graduate school told me all it does Is confirm to my gay friends that they will never be welcome in the church.

It makes them bitter and it makes me mad too. This is why I never refer myself as an evangelical. Ugh, I'm embarrassed to be part of that group. I can relate when Tennessee added an amendment to the state constitution banning same-sex marriage.

Even though it was already illegal in the state. Members of my church at the time put signs in the yard declaring support for the initiative. From my perspective the message that sent the entire community was simple everyone but gays welcome.

Dan and I left the church soon afterwards. Which brings me to North Carolina and amendment one despite the fact that the North Carolina? law already holds that marriage in the eyes of state is only between a man and a woman.

An Amendment was put on the ballot to permanently ban same-sex marriage in the state constitution. The initiative doesn't appear to change anything on a practical level though. Some are saying it may have unintended negative consequences on heterosexual relationships.

But seems to serve primarily as an ideological statement. An expensive destructive impractical ideological statement. Conservatives in the state who you would think would be more opposed to tampering with constitutions supported the amendment and last night it passed.

Religious leaders led the charge and supported the amendment with 93 year old Billy Graham taking out multiple ads and publications across the state supporting the measure. As I watched my Facebook and Twitter feeds last night the reaction among my friends fell into an imperfect, but highly predictable pattern.

Christians over 40 were celebrating. Christians under 30 were mourning. Reading through the comments the same thought kept returning to my mind as occurred to me when I first saw the Billy Graham ad. You're losing us.

I've said it a million times. I'll say it again, though. I'm starting to think that no one is listening then in very large bold letters. My generation is tired of the culture wars. We are tired of fighting tired of vain efforts to advance the kingdom through politics and power.

Tired of drawing lines in the sand tired of being known for what we are against not what we are for. And when it comes to homosexuality, we no longer think in the black and white categories the generations before ours.

We know too many wonderful people from the LGBT community to consider homosexuality a mere issue. These are people and they are our friends when they tell us that something hurts them. We listen an amendment one hurts like hell.

Regardless of whether you identify most with side a or side B or with one of the many variations within these two broad categories. It should be clear that amendments like these needlessly offend gays and lesbians damage the reputation of Christians and further alienate young adults both Christians and non-christian from the church.

So my question for those evangelicals in the charge and the culture wars is this is it worth it. Is political victory worth losing millions more young people to cynicism regarding the church. Is a political victory worth further alienating people who identify as LGBT is a political victory worth perpetuating the idea that evangelical Christians are at war with gays and lesbians and Is a political victory worth drowning out that quiet but persistent internal voice that asks what if we get this wrong?

Too many Christian leaders seem to think the answer that question is yes. And it's costing them because young Christians are ready for peace. We are ready to lay down our arms. We are ready to start washing feet instead of waging war and if we cannot find that sort of peace within the church I fear we will look for it elsewhere.

Those are the words found in an article how to win a culture war and lose a generation by Rachel held Evans author speaker and blogger. I Think we need to consider well in light of recent events and the fact that Due to recent events due to Dan Savage due to Matthew Vines due to Joe Biden and Barack Obama this issue is absolutely in the forefront of the cultural discussion today, and it's absolutely in the forefront of the thoughts and the the thinking of Christian people as well and Few things are illustrating more clearly how far from biblical standards of ethics morality and How Twisted a worldview has now become The norm in what calls itself Christianity.

We need to start recognizing that many people who answer a poll by saying yes, I'm a Christian. That's not how you determine who a Christian is. That is that is not a meaningful number when people tell me.

Oh 60 something percent of The American population identifies itself as Christian. I Think any person who takes seriously what scripture says has to immediately go. I sort of doubt that that's Really an exaggeration.

I mean if you're going to take seriously the parameters of what is and what is not Christian belief. From within The Bible itself there were a lot of people who had a false faith. There were a lot of people who followed a false gospel and a false Christ even during the days of the Apostles so if you even include in the mix Theological aberrations aberrant groups you start taking them out and You're still left with a quote-unquote evangelicalism that includes churches like Joel Osteen's Where you have?

Tens of thousands of people Who will gather on a Sunday and They're told nothing more than how good they are and how lucky God is to have them. They're not presented with the gospel. They're not presented with their sin, and they are not encouraged to create a Christian worldview.

When you actually start looking at what portion of What calls itself Christianity in the United States today is actually challenging this very generation? The the generation of The young woman that we were just reading Rachel held Evans.

When you look at the the percentage of the church that is actually saying these young people There is such a thing as a Christian worldview and it is determined by the Lordship of Jesus Christ. It is determined by the revelation of God in Scripture.

It is not something that is determined by the parameters of post-modernism and it is not determined by your feelings it is a very small percentage a very small percentage and so we hear these words and There are just there's just so much in this crying out For correction from those who are more mature in the faith.

These are the words of an immature person young people are immature and I was raised to look to my elders as Examples of maturity now the next generation might not find their elders to be very mature and My generation has to take responsibility for that.

But that doesn't change The responsibility of the young generation today who call themselves Christians to stop taking their norms from the world and Take their norms from Scripture take their norms from that which is unchanging Indeed that which is eternal the Word of God and so Let's listen again to what is said here.

And let's let's comment about it when when the church exists Within a culture that is under the judgment of God. How is the culture going to look at the church? Well, here's one of the main problems with Our generation today with the younger generation.

We are completely disconnected from history. You're completely disconnected from history. I mean Billy Graham is church history for most people today. He's old enough to be church history, but that's not church history.

There have been many times When the Christian faith has been the object of the scorn and ridicule of the cultural elites. There's nothing new the church survived it and There's always been people who are part of the church who think that's somehow a bad thing and It's like have you read first Corinthians 1 and 2?

Have you considered the fact that Scripture tells us it warns us about the wisdom of the world and It tells us that the gospel will always be more on us foolishness to the wise of the world we cannot Change that and we dare not change that and we should not desire to change that young folks.

The church does not grow by making it popular with people who remain in rebellion against God. You do not grow the church by filling it With people who think that they can tell Jesus what to do. That's not the kind of church Jesus wants and so It should not be surprising to us That when we were we are in a particular culture that has become particularly enamored enamored with its hatred of God's law and its hatred of ethics and morality based upon God's revelation when that society Becomes enamored with that kind of sinful behavior.

They are going to express tremendous disrespect for the Christian faith, they are going to seek to marginalize and silence and Yes, even kill. I'd highly recommend you take some time look back at some of the good balanced books on the persecution of the Christian faith the first 300 years of its existence.

And you will find that the Christians were mocked and ridiculed for their beliefs. Nothing new today. Nothing new at all so We have this paragraph. Later research documented Kinnaman's you lost me reveals that one of the top reasons 59 of young adults with a Christian background have left the church.

I stop right there. What's a Christian background? Um their parents once maybe went to church a few times or that is not Christianity. And if one thing good is coming out of this we are being able to see what is Christianity and what isn't.

Cultural Christianity is a stench in the nostrils of a holy God and it is an insult to the lordship of Jesus Christ and The sooner we're rid of it the better. Cultural Christianity. Where the lordship of Jesus Christ means nothing to your life?

It means nothing to the way you think nothing the way you speak nothing the way you dress. It has no impact upon your life where you just slather a little religion on once in a while. That is not Christianity and If we're getting the point Where people are getting that idea and they're walking away from that kind of cultural Christianity.

That's a good thing. Because now I can talk to them and introduce them to real Christianity the Christianity that Jesus taught us about when he said take up your cross and deny yourself and Follow me and that might mean in our culture Living in such a way and believing certain things that you may not find comfortable.

But Christianity is not about your comfort or mine. Later research documented Kinnaman's you lost me reveals that one of the top reasons 59 of young adults the Christian background left the church is because They perceive the church to be too exclusive particularly regarding their LGBT friends.

Young people listen to me sin is all around us. It's in your heart and it's in mine every friend I have is a sinner and Every person I'm a friend too has in me a friend who is a sinner, but there is a line.

There is a line that can be crossed. Most men that I know struggle With unclean sexual thoughts. If it were not so there would not be Tens of thousands, I don't know. I haven't looked up the numbers but tens of thousands of pornography sites on the internet.

So pretty much every man I know Every man I know has unclean sexual thoughts toward women. So that means every man I know even those who are my close friends are sinners. So I understand the idea of having LGBT friends whatever I hate that terminology, but you see there's a line because if one of those friends Decided that those thoughts and desires were actually good they were actually acceptable and They actually started to attach to the name Christian in a positive way Their thoughts and Resultant actions based upon those thoughts.

That's where you cross the line when you have people saying I am an adulterous Christian and That's how God made me and I will celebrate my adulterousness. I am an angry Christian. I Am a Christian with a temper, but God made me that way and so I will celebrate my anger.

I am a person who wants intergenerational love and so I'm going to start a movement for Intergenerational Christianity, that's called pedophilia. I have desires for animals. So I'm gonna start animal love Christianity.

You see there's a line and when you cross that line, you know longer Should with any semblance of honesty even want to use the word Christian. Because we know what Jesus taught. Now we know there are people like Matthew Vine who are trying to Redefine that based upon works like John Boswell's work who himself was a homosexual who died of AIDS and yet he used his Historical scholarship to rewrite history and to come up with these excuses try to get around the clear the perspicuous the unquestionable teaching of the Bible on these subjects but the Bible.

For the person who bows the knee to Jesus Christ if you want to call yourself a Christian then Shouldn't you view Scripture the same way Jesus did or are you wiser than he was? Why call yourself a Christian if you think you actually know more than Jesus did?

There is on the part of many the generation before me my generation the generation after me. There is on the part of many modern people a tremendous hubris. Toward the writers of Scripture as if they were simpletons as if ancient man was just just had the IQ of a wet shoelace and I just want to ask you.

Why would you follow a man who was not as smart as you? Oh Well, he never had an iPad or an iPhone that makes You smarter. Jesus's view of Scripture was that this is what God says to you. In fact in Matthew chapter 22, he quoted the Old Testament in such a way as he held the men He was talking to in his day Responsible for God said to Moses about 1 ,400 years earlier as if God had spoken to them directly.

That's how high a view of Scripture he had. And I just want to ask all these young people who find The simple identification of homosexuality as a sin and and thinks that the church should just just abandon Jesus is teaching That marriage is one man and one woman that adultery is is any sexual activity outside of that?

Beautiful relationship that God has ordained. We should just forget all that. Come on. It's old. It's you know. Look at the polls Barna tells us to it tells us to you know I just want to ask you if you call yourself a Christian and you say Jesus is gonna save you from your sins.

Why don't you hold his view of Scripture? You trust him to save you from your sins. But you don't trust him to teach you the truth about human sexuality and marriage which he himself ordained. Because he is God in human flesh and God was the one who ordained marriage.

Says eight million twenty-somethings have left the church and this is one reason why. Well, I don't know what church they left. But you know what when when kids grow up even in a Christian family there comes a point in time.

They become adults and They have to make decisions on their own and the best I can do as a Christian parent is To teach them to give them a foundation. I cannot change their hearts in the church. I'm an elder I Can think of families and I can think of the fact that for many years I taught those young people especially on Wednesday nights and Some of those young people today are some of the most encouraging Godly wonderful young people a true testimony to God's grace.

But some aren't there anymore. Yeah, even in a church who've identified as mature sound the Word of God being preached with regularity and depth and there are people who sit there and once they're out from underneath the control of mom and dad they want nothing to do with it because It's God that changes hearts.

And so even in Solid sound Christian churches 20-somethings very often leave and They often come back as 30-somethings their lives now battered and scarred but now realizing that They need a foundation.

But sometimes they don't ever return at all. But I don't think that what's being referred to here actually has anything to do with sound solid churches. There are a lot of churches in this land that are anything But biblical in their orientation or their foundation or their practice of their worship or their teaching and There are so many churches that have thrown the door wide open to the world and said just come on in.

We won't preach to you about repentance. We won't preach to you about the Lordship of Christ. We won't tell you that God has revealed his truth and that it's important for you as his creature To walk in light of his truth and to bow to his Lordship.

We won't tell you those things because we don't want to offend you. The result is you get to be a 20-something and Why should I stay at a church like that? I Want to believe in something. I want something that's gonna mean something in my life.

I'm tired of people smiling at me and talking about how I can be my best me. You know how to be your best you you just don't want to do it. And so when churches like that spew out unbelievers. That's not surprising.

That's not surprising in the minute for a minute doesn't surprise me. Anyways, we're told by Rachel that Every single student she's spoken with believes the church has mishandled its response to homosexuality.

Well, what church? There hasn't been that's one of the sad things. It hasn't been a singular response. Are you are you saying that it should be the the affirming churches that just simply throw God's moral law into the bus.

Just forget about what the word says what don't don't worry about what the Bible says. Well, we'll just we'll go ahead and abandon Everything I've ever believed just so as to not offend you. Why do LGBT people?

Have the world's largest chip upon their shoulder. What about offending Christians, what about what about offending me why why do I not Get counted in this. I'm deeply offended at the blasphemy of marriage and Jesus's own teaching on these issues that is part and parcel of.

What is thrown in my face every day by the mainstream media? I'm deeply offended by the Dan savages of the world. No one seems to care about that. Do they you say That most have close gay and lesbian friends.

Well, once again, are they gay and lesbian and they recognize that it's wrong and They want help to change or have they given up that fight they've embraced this. The best studies say that No more than three to at most four percent of the population.

Numbers are probably lower than that. We're going with the biggest numbers here three to four percent. Would be homosexual three to four percent. So that's. That's not a huge Proportion of the population is it you say but I've got close friends.

They're wonderful people. How do you determine who a wonderful people is? Well, they're they're very loving. What does loving mean? Is it loving to discipline your children and To train them up in godliness.

I think it is our society is starting to say no. Is it loving to tell the homosexual? About the destruction of their personal lives and their bodies. That will be part and parcel of such a lifestyle according to SB1172 in the Senate of the state of California.

They are actually Suggesting a bill that would prohibit psychotherapists as defined from performing sexual orientation change efforts. In other words You will not be allowed to tell a gay person. You know what?

One of the ways out of this is you might want to stop being gay. Oh No, you can't say that hasn't passed yet, but it's being considered. Is that loving. Well, obviously pretty soon by government will know it'll probably be illegal.

But from a Christian perspective, is it loving? To warn a person. To say God has said this behavior is Reprehensible in his sight and it will destroy you now, of course. The real issue should be that it's represent reprehensible in God's sight.

But for so many in our society, even those who call themselves Christians, we are the most important thing God's law. God's will God's purpose. Yeah, we'll let God take care of that doesn't really matter.

We're told that Most feel the church's response to homosexuality is partly responsible high rates of depression and suicide among their gay and lesbian friends. Particularly those who are gay and Christian of that right there.

Demonstrates such a horrible flaw of thought. So the law is responsible for the high rates of depression in prison, right? I mean, there's there's a lot of people. There's a lot of murderers who commit suicide.

How many times do you have murder suicides and if we would just stop prosecuting for murder? They wouldn't commit suicide. It would just it just be so much better for them. And Pedophiles, oh my goodness pedophiles have very high rates of depression and they don't view themselves.

Well, it's just a law's fault. We just need to be more accepting and people engage in bestiality and incest and and Polygamy they all have issues and it's just because we just shouldn't say anything's wrong right.

This is the muddled thinking that comes from making people's emotions. The ultimate good to which law must conform and the only result is anarchy. Absolute anarchy. Most feel that the church is complicit at least some level in anti-gay bullying.

Really I'm reminded of the Reporterette who asked Kirk Cameron. Don't you think making comments like this might engender hatred toward gay people. And if I had been in Kirk's shoes My response would have been don't you think asking me that question might engender hatred toward me?

Human beings have minds and souls and are responsible for their behavior and If merely hearing someone disagreeing With someone else's sexual behavior is enough to cause bullying then I guess human beings cannot be held Responsible for their actions.

We're back to anarchy again if you hear someone saying that behavior will Lessen your life. It could kill you. How dare you say that someone might beat them up for that? Oh, I was talking about smoking.

Oh, well, that's okay. Oh, you mean hearing someone saying smoking is bad for you that won't cause anti-smoking bullying. Why is there double standards here. Because it's all part of an agenda that many young Christians have Absolutely bought hook line and sinker.

I'm gonna skip down to this because I have a lot more to get to. We need to talk about Barack Obama's book and We need to listen to Chris the great wisdom of Chris Matthews. Yes, I bet you LaShawn's gonna love it when I get to Chris Matthews because I'm sure Chris Matthews is one of LaShawn's favorite people in the media.

But this is what worries me the most here. I've said it a million times. I'll say it again, though. I'm starting to think no one is listening. My generation is tired of the culture wars. Um. Well Rachel I'm tired of fighting too.

I'm more tired than most people are because I I have to fight all the time. Because of what the Lord has called me to do. I'm constantly involved in this type of thing, but you know what? If you're fighting the culture wars Given the worldview you have expressed in Your article I can I fully understand I fully understand because you're fighting about preferences.

You're you're you're fighting about. Well, you know, I prefer to view it this way. I prefer to view it that way. The reason that Christians keep fighting the culture wars Is not about the culture. It's about honoring God.

It's about honoring God. We have been called Rachel to be salt and light. Salt in a dying world light in a dark world and I don't remember Jesus adding anything in there about be salt up until this point then give up.

Lay down your weapons. Forget about it. Take it easy. Go with the flow and I don't remember him ever Doing anything or saying anything about well once it gets to this level of darkness. Then you know.

You can you can you don't have to worry about at that point. It's getting dark, but we're called to be lights. My generation is tired of the culture wars the more You love God's truth the more you'll be willing to sacrifice for his truth.

The more you love God's truth The more you will be willing to sacrifice for his truth. Rachel I'm sorry, if no one in your past has said to you as a young person, you know what the greatest calling you could ever have in this life is to lose your life in the service of Jesus Christ and That means proclaiming his gospel that does not mean editing his gospel.

We are tired of fighting tired of vain efforts to advance the kingdom through politics and power. Rachel. Speaking the truth in love about the destruction of homosexual behavior is not politics and power.

I know politics and power can't change a heart. But we must draw lines in the sand. We must say what we are against and It's our culture that has refused to allow us to speak about what we're for. Rachel you must understand the vast majority of us who have been speaking on this issue for years years even before you were born.

Have always emphasized always emphasized The positive when I speak on this subject I almost always Always start with Matthew 19 and I let Jesus define His own teaching that from the beginning God made them male and Female and it's male and female that did it that become one flesh.

It's male and female that God joins together. It's male and female that creates the beauty of life. We are for that you must realize Rachel you have been duped By the media you have been duped by this culture to hear only the one side and to adopt their very language.

Which is designed absolutely designed To preclude any meaningful Debate on the subject when it comes to homosexuality. We no longer think in the black and white categories of The generations before ours.

Why Rachel why was it because the generations before yours we were just benighted. We just hadn't thought it through we didn't know enough gay people to have gotten the message. Is It possible Rachel that there is a level of wisdom that one gains having been a parent and then seeing the next generation coming along and Maybe the next generation after that that gives us insights and wisdom that maybe at your young age You might want to look forward and and see What we have seen or to ask us to explain.

Could it be that the black and white categories I realize for some people who call themselves Christians. It's just pure bias. It's just a simplistic knee-jerk reaction. I understand that but that is not what we're talking about here.

For those of us who passionately warn everyone about the life-destroying Behavior of homosexuality. Do you think maybe there might be something more to it? You say we know too many wonderful people from the LGBT community.

What is the LGBT community Rachel? Have you thought about how improper it is? That there is a community Defined by deviant sexual behavior. Is it right Rachel? That there is a pedophile community. Is it right Rachel that there is an incest community a Bestiality community a Murdering community a thieving community an angry community.

Can you have any healthiness in a quote community that is defined? By deviant sexual behavior, I don't think so you say they're your friends. But once again What's your fight? What's your ultimate priority?

What is your ultimate priority? Who do you want to please in your friendships and your actions? It should break our heart that we should ever be in a situation where we have to withdraw our Friendship from someone but if you've never been in that position, you ain't much of a friend to anyone.

Do you hear me if you have never withdrawn your friendship that means your friendship doesn't say anything. If you're willing to be a friend to anybody Then what does your friendship mean? There needs to be some kind of common basis for a true friendship to exist and to develop.

It's one thing to be nice to folks it's one thing you work in retail. You have to be nice to people and and courteous and things like that. But hopefully everybody understands the difference between being courteous to someone in a real friendship in a friendship.

You have to share a worldview in a friendship there has to be honesty and openness and Part of being honest and open as a Christian is to tell people the truth especially about what God's law Says. And Rachel I've got to ask you a question.

Do you love God's law? Does reading the 119 psalm seem really weird to you? I ask this of everybody every I don't care. Everybody in my chat channel everybody's listening. You can be listening for when you read the 119 psalm.

Does this seem weird to you? What's this seems a little over-the-top, you know. My eyes shed tears about those who Disrespect your law and break your law. Really? That seems a little over-the-top, doesn't it?

I really have to wonder about people who establish a higher priority in not offending a friend Than in not offending God, I really think Christians need to examine their hearts for antinomianism. Because Paul said we established the law by faith.

We don't get rid of the law. And It was the holiness of God's law that nailed Jesus to a cross and it's that very law that is being spat upon and stomped upon and Hated in our culture today in the promotion of homosexuality and the profanation of marriage.

Both of which were established by God and if that does not touch your heart Then I'm not sure your heart is touchable. The article concludes saying because young Christians are ready for peace. Peace with whom Rachel.

Peace with whom. Peace with your LGBT friends. Peace with people who remain in rebellion against God. They can't have peace with God. Rachel. How can you have peace? How can you have peace in your heart knowing they don't have peace with God because they will not submit To his law they will not confess their sin.

Unrepentant sinners do not receive eternal life. It should break your heart and it should Nerve your arm. It should strengthen you to continue the battle. Young Christians are ready for peace. We are ready to lay down our arms and Then you have this line.

We are ready to start washing feet instead of waging war. Rachel Jesus washed the feet of his disciples. He washed the feet of those who had submitted to him as Lord. He washed their feet because they had been cleansed by their faith and Hence, they only needed to have their feet washed.

You cannot Rachel you can not wash the feet of rebels. They are not ready to have their feet washed. They need to have their souls cleansed first. You've got your priorities. Backwards you write if we cannot find that sort of peace in the church.

I fear we will look for it elsewhere. Rachel you're looking for the wrong kind of peace. The peace you look for first is the peace between your own soul and God that comes only through a relationship with Jesus Christ and that relationship is Based upon the recognition that in his death burial and resurrection the very law of God Was proven to be holy and just so holy and so just that God the Father Considered it proper to send the son to die in our place so that it would not just be swept under the rug.

But it would be honored as the representation of his holiness that it truly is and you want peace by compromising that. You want peace? Without honoring the cross it cannot be. It cannot be now. It's not just Rachel that I need to provide a word of hopeful instruction to.

But I was directed to An article at townhall .com by Hugh Hewitt now I like listening to Hugh Hewitt he's on here locally and Hugh Hewitt's a blast to listen to when it comes to especially legal stuff.

I mean talking about Supreme Court and Guys is brilliant. It is very very interesting. Hugh's a liberal Christian well sort of midstream not really liberal, but his denomination isn't exactly Right-wing and as a result there are times that he says things I just go.