Two weeks ago the Orlando Sentinel must have burst somebody’s bubble with the data they reported. Even though it is only at the bottom of page B4, the headline of the news blurb reads: “Sexually Transmitted Diseases Rise in State.” This August 17, 2014 article reports that “infectious cases of syphilis have more than doubled during the past decade—and more than tripled in Hillsborough County….” This county includes Tampa. Cases of chlamydia have almost doubled throughout the state in the past ten years and more than doubled in the Tampa area. Instances of reported gonorrhea have risen more slowly and mostly in Hillsborough County.
This is disturbing news because these types of diseases are not supposed to exist. When was the last time a television show or movie featured a romance with any of these problems? A man and a woman meet: she’s “hot,” and he’s “cool,” and pretty soon they are committing fornication or adultery, but they never end up with such diseases—not even when they are promiscuous. Why, everyone knows that sex is for recreation, and there are rarely any bad side effects. Okay, occasionally an unexpected pregnancy occurs, but no one is supposed to end up with health problems.
Or so people are persuaded to believe. Perhaps a high school girl is dating a guy who convinces her to be intimate with him. He will tell her he loves her and that she should prove her love to him. As in the song, “C’Mon, Eileen” (1983), he tells her: “At this moment, you mean everything.” The key phrase is at this moment. Who knows when all of those positive feelings may turn to negative ones, as was the case with Amnon’s treatment of Tamar? The Shirelles (the first all-female group to have a #1 single) asked the musical question back in 1961: “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?” And the answer is frequently, “Probably not.” And how sure is she that the guy has not been with other women or even a prostitute?
Is it possible that a person contemplating one sin might be guilty of another—that is, lying? Fornication is a sin—something to flee from (1 Cor. 6:18). Anyone who is willing to violate God’s law in this regard would probably have no qualms about being less than truthful about other relationships. Why do men and women also assume that they are so attractive that a potential “lover” is only interested in them (and no one else)?
The same is true with adultery. If a married man is willing to have a “relationship” with one woman who is not his wife, how can she be sure he is not also seeing other women or will after a time be with someone other than her? If a man cheats on his wife with a single woman and even goes so far as to divorce his wife to marry her, what guarantee does she have he will not cheat on her, also? The answer may be rooted in ego: “That was her, but this is me.” Truly, pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall.
The news article affirmed that “most sexually transmitted diseases are fairly easily preventable.” This is so true—by abstaining from illicit relationships. Abstinence works every time it is tried. Single men and women who practice 1 Corinthians 6:18-20 do not have to worry about being lied to or making unscheduled trips to the doctor. Those who refrain from having extra-marital affairs likewise remain safe (if their mate shares the same philosophy).
In the fantasy world that Hollywood constructs, the young unmarried couple is always in love. The pair married to others should have really been with each other because they are “soul-mates.” Ah, nothing is so exhilarating as being in love again. Maybe that’s the reason that some have one affair after another. No matter how sordid, however, Hollywood can make it seem wonderful and necessary. With a fantasy, everything can work out beautifully—even if struggles must be overcome. In real life, people cope with diseases.
“For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace” (Ecc. 3:1-8 – ASV).
The subject of time has been written about, sung about, but mostly ignored. Preachers have been lauded as not keeping up with time as they speak long past the congregation’s established “quitting” time. The one thing everyone should agree on is that we have all been given the same number of seconds, minutes, and hours in each day. Like our souls, which God has placed into our care, time is something that every one of us must manage carefully. There was a period in our society when manners were as valued as gold or silver, and they spoke volumes concerning the type of person one was. However today, manners seem to be a thing of the past—allotted to an antiquated society that was never as enlightened as we have supposedly become.
People in many societies seem to care nothing of excusing themselves when bumping into another person, or belching in public, let alone the foul language that seems to have become the norm for men, women, and children. But possibly one of the most ill-man-nered attitudes of people today, and most particularly among Christians, is a total lack of time management!
Punctuality is that quality in a person that causes him to be prompt, able to keep an appointment, or doing things at the precise or exact time. In other words, he is dependable. Brethren will use the excuse that they just don’t seem to have enough hours in the day as they rush to Bible class or worship services. More times than not, brethren are found interrupting a Bible class or the worship services because of their lack of promptness. Yet these same individuals wouldn’t think of being late to get the best seats at a sporting event, concert, or movie.
Paul told the Colossians, “Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time” (Col. 4:5). If someone is always late to Bible class and/or wor-ship, then it is most likely that they are just as late to their jobs or other secular appointments. How is it possible for us to make a difference in the world when we are not being an example to those outside the church? Paul said to the brethren at Colosse as well as Ephesus that our Christian walk is to be one that is according to wisdom, careful, and not as the unwise (Col. 4:5; Eph. 5:15-16). A lack of punctuality is really an attitude of habit, and as such it becomes a vice and not a virtue.
How often do we fail to realize the various things God has given us to be stewards over? Each of those things can become either a blessing or a curse towards our hope of eternal life. Mismanagement of God’s time causes us to violate more commands than we can shake a stick at! We do not have the “time” to make disciples of all nations (Matt. 28:18-20) We do not have the “time” to visit someone in the hospital or at home (Matt. 25:41-45). We do not have the “time” to speak to someone who is erring (James 5:19-20). We do not have the “time” to be given to hospitality (Rom. 12:13). Older women do not have the “time” to teach the younger women (Titus 2:3-4). Men do not take the “time” to study the Scriptures and work toward becoming qualified elders (1 Tim. 3:1). On and on the list could go.
No Christian should ever be so careless and disre-spectful as to constantly be late in assembling with the saints. It shows a lack of love and respect for the one (teacher, preacher, et al.) who has given his or her time in preparing class material. It shows a lack of love for brethren in the class or assembly who are disturbed by all the commotion that is made in getting seated.
What about Bible class teachers who are never in their classes on time? Their example teaches others that “time” is of no consequence. It is something we are free to use or discard as we please. Bible class teachers should always be in their classes at least ten minutes before their students arrive, especially if visitors should come. Not being punctual shows that one is not thinking of others above themselves (Phil. 2:3-4). It demonstrates that they seek their own needs and not those of Christ (Phil. 2:21).
Punctuality can be a vice or a virtue, but all Christians should diligently strive to add it to their faith as a virtue that the brethren and the world looks up to. Please, let’s watch our (God’s) time.
[Editor’s Note: We want to thank Mike, whom we support in Pierre, South Dakota, for writing this article. I remember one congregation where brethren arrived from 2 to 30 minutes late—for worship (they did not bother with Bible study)! Two weeks ago, everyone’s arrival was checked here. More than one-third of us were late. One question worth thinking about is from a verse in Malachi in the context of giving: “Will a man rob God?” (Mal. 3:8). Yes, His people were robbing Him in terms of tithes and offerings. Is it possible to do the same thing with time?
NIGHTMARE SITUATIONS
Gary W. Summers
Despite it being a sin that Christians should flee from, many unfortunately do end up having romantic fantasies and involvement of which they are later ashamed. One can understand (but not approve) how both men and women might allow themselves to be deceived by Satan into committing fornication, but the other perversions of sexuality that are reported from time to time have no justification at all. Consider two of the stories that appeared in the July 16, 2014 Orlando Sentinel.
One of these involved a fifth-grade teacher in the Daytona Beach area who had once been a “youth pastor.” They found more than 8,700 images in one of his computer folders and six videos containing pornographic materials involving young boys (B3). How a person could be so perverted is unfathomable.
Another news item on the same page as the preceding one involved “Pastor Pete” who founded a shelter for homeless women in a community within an hour of Orlando. He called it “Our House of Refuge Ministries, Inc.,” but he forced women to have sex with him in the facility. He was married and also had children (B3).
How do people get to be so perverted? What is in their thoughts that they depart so far from what is normal? Pornography would be an encouragement. In many of those materials, women are portrayed as always desiring sexual partners; so therefore rape does not exist. It does, however, in actuality, and it combines immorality with violence, both of which violate the Word of God. If God judges those who commit fornication (Heb.13:4), what will He do with those who coerce others by force to join in sin?
On August 17, the Orlando Sentinel published an article on campus rape. No one has been convicted on a Florida campus of this crime in a few years. Most of these situations, they say, involve alcohol, and most of the men say that the act was consensual (A1, A9). Un-fortunately, compelling proof is difficult to come by. Of course, God knows what occurred and will recompense accordingly.
Some women have been a discredit to their gender first of all by supporting the myths that some men choose to believe. They pose for lurid photographs or display themselves in videos as always-compliant objects of lust. But beyond the fiction of “Desperate Housewives,” some women have been guilty of and convicted of seducing male teens.
Our current society could use massive doses of purity and holiness. Too many have given themselves over to the lust of the flesh. The best cure is to ignore pornography—even that which is called “soft.” God created intimacy for marriage—not before it or outside of it. Paul provides the best solution in Philippians 4:8.
ANOTHER NEW RELIGION: TERASEM
Gary W. Summers
When Mitt Romney was running for President in 2012, the fact that he was a Mormon bothered some people—possibly enough not to vote for him. Cause for concern is not unfounded for those who know the fraud-ulent basis for that religion. They also claim to have new revelation from God on a continuous basis—which flatly contradicts 2 Peter 1:3 and Jude 3. His religion was not really a campaign issue, but it might have cost him some votes.
However, there is a political race going on in District 8 (which includes Brevard and Eastern Orange County) that was unique enough to merit being newsworthy by the Orlando Sentinel. We will leave out the last names and the party affiliation of the candidate because it is irrelevant. But one of the candidates is the son of a man who began his own religion—and had a sex-change operation. As Lonesome George might have said, “You just can’t hardly find candidates like them no more.”
The name of this religion is Terasem Faith. According to the candidate, in the article published on August 19, 2014, he is Jewish and claims that Terasem “is a ‘spiritual rider’ to traditional religion” (B1). “He stresses down-to-Earth beliefs and values.” Really? So what happens if you go to the Terasem Faith website? You find out that they have four core beliefs.
- Life is purposeful.
2. Death is optional.
3. God is technological.
4. Love is essential.
The first tenet seems correct, depending on the way someone might explain it. It could be Calvinistic, but it could also just be calling attention to the fact that God created us in His own image and that our purpose is to glorify Him in the best way we can. Likewise with the fourth one, God is love, and love is essential (Matt. 22: 37-40; 1 John 2:9-11; 3:15; 4:7-8, 20). Of course, agreement with this statement might depend on what the author of it means by the word love. But, at least on the surface, we can agree with the first and the last principles.
The second one is a surprise, to state the obvious. It is reminiscent of Mary Baker Eddy, who taught, “Death is an illusion.” She has since learned that it is the separation of the spirit from the body (James 2:26), a fact well in evidence during her lifetime. Thus far, in the history of the world, only two men have not died as all others have—Enoch and Elijah. They did, however, depart from this Earth. One has died but been resurrected. He ascended to the heavens in a cloud and is sitting at the right hand of the throne of God. Those who believe in, obey, and are faithful to Him shall join Him in the future. All are subject to death until that day He returns; then they shall rise to join Him in the air. At that point there shall be no more death for the righteous. The ungodly suffer eternal spiritual death.
he is an active member in the church. And until he filed to run for Congress last year, he was an administrator managing the church’s real estate.