1. THE FORGOTTEN KEY TO SANCTIFICATION

A Christian friend and coworker commented the other night that he has started memorizing Scripture. He was telling me what a great difference it has made in his life practically. I know he is right, because I've experienced it before. I am also very convicted by this testimony, as I have neglected this important discipline for some time now. This principle might be called "the forgotten key to sanctification."

FORGOTTEN? Unfortunately, yes. Many believers today, myself included, have truly "forgotten" that, while the Holy Spirit indwells us as the Sanctifier, there is also the "fuel" for sanctification - the Word of God.

KEY? You bet. If you want to beat that sin habit in your life, Your word won't do it. However, His Word will ... if you get it into your heart and mind. God's Word is the ultimate "anti-virus" protection for the ultimate "computer" - man. Here's what I am going to do. I have been whining to God about this sin problem I've had and he has answered me. How? Well, the way I see it - I think for once, I have this right - God has visited me in the testimony of my friend and coworker. So I am going to begin to memorize key passages concerning my problem. In the future may God help me remember when to leave the prayer closet and use the tools that He has already provided. Selah.

2. ON PAGANISM, ETHNIC HERITAGE & CHRISTIANITY

So-called "racial" issues are a touchy subject ... and they should be. Notions of "superiority" and "inferiority" among people of different tribes/nations/heritage have been the source of all manner of injustice throughout our depraved history. However, sometimes a true statement is misunderstood as a racially-biased comment.

Recently, I had dinner with my niece. Now, I am "Anglo-American" (i.e., white) and my niece is "African-American" (i.e., black). She is a very bright young college student attending school in Lousiana. We discussed many things involving race, politics, culture and religion. In the course of our conversation, I referred to the ancient shamanistic tribal religions of the African peoples as "pagan." This upset my niece somewhat, who remarked, "Not everything from Africa is 'pagan.'"

Now, of course she is correct, but she has also misinterpreted my statement within a racial context - i.e., she thought that I called African tribal religion "pagan" because it is African. However, I actually made the statement within a theological context. Furthermore, I stand by it. But I will make some clarifications.

Native American religion is also "pagan." The ancient Asian religions are also "pagan." In fact, the ancient religion of my own Scottish ancestors was also "pagan" - resulting in the Druidic and Wiccan religions. In fact, if we go far enough back into any heritage, we will find paganism. Of course, there is some truth to be found in such religions (see THINKMAIL #1) - this is because a Sovereign God has not left Himself "without witness" (cf. Acts 14:17; 17; Romans 1). The important thing for all of we humans to realize is that if we travel back to the beginning of history we find that we are one people who originally worshipped the one true God. Jesus Christ calls us back to being one people (John 4:21-24; Gal. 3:28; Col. 3:10-11) with one God - the True God (John 17:3).

I am not saying that a person's heritage is not important - far from it. What I do proclaim is that our spiritual heritage is more important. Eternally so, for in the end the only nation/race/heritage that "counts" is that of God : "But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that you should show forth the praises of Him Who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God ... " (1 Peter 2:9-10).

3. AN IDEA FOR THE U.S. GOVT. CONCERNING THE "RACE" PROBLEM

I do not usually address political issues, but here it goes. FACT: we have serious racial tensions in America. I wish I could see all my readers right now and I could prove this. Many minority readers are probably saying "Duh!," while many of my white readers are asking, "Like what?" This in and of itself is symptomatic of the problem.

In my own personal opinion, I believe that America quite literally owes two "people groups" that have been wronged in many ways. Many other "white people" will probably disagree with me here chiefly because they have never imagined themselves in the shoes of an oppressed minority. All that aside, here is what I propose as a national solution aimed at making the odds more even for us all.

I say that America should literally close its borders to immigrants. No more citizenship - temporarily, of course. This may sound radical, but hey, we have radical problems in this country. What such an action would do is free up money that could be rechanneled into carefully designed programs for the two groups that America owes - Native Americans, slaughtered and ripped off for the land we now live on; and African-Americans, deculturalized and forced to build a country that has spit on them ever since. The money could be spent proportionately between these two people groups. The programs would include such things as renovation of neighborhoods, college education, restoration of land rights, etc.

These programs could be designed by a minority run council in conjunction with the American Govt. and set up to run according to a set schedule. After a few years (maybe even less) we open our country once again to new immigrants. Now, there are many fine details that would have to be worked out, but I just offer this as a general idea. No doubt other minorities would also benefit from such a strategy. Of course, many of us who are white will cry "No fair! Why should 'they' get such preferred treatment?" Why? Because since America was born, "we" have been receiving such "preferred treatment." What I have set forth here is a general plan to attempt to "equalize" the American population. Of course I seriously doubt that such a thing will ever happen - but I think it should.

* Edward William Fudge, The Fire That Consumes (Carlisle, UK: The Paternoster Press; 1994) -

This book, read years ago and again recently, changed my view of the final destiny of the wicked. This is a very thorough treatment of the eternal judgment faced by the unredeemed. You will be astounded to find that the Biblical evidence supports not the "traditionalist" view (perpetual torture of the lost) but rather the "conditionalist" view (eventual destruction of the wicked in the lake of fire). Fudge is an Evangelical and writes as if simply setting forth the evidence for the reader to decide. Personally speaking, I have read books written to "answer" Fudge and have yet to find one that actually does so. Recommended by such scholars as the late F.F. Bruce and the late John Wenham.

"And they sang a new song, saying, 'Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof; for Thou wast slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; and have made us unto our God kings and priests ... '" - REVELATION 5:9-10 (KJV).

Here we see the actualization, at the end of human history, of what I wrote about above in Bits & Pieces under item # 2. As Peter testifies in 1 Peter 2 (quoted above), this scene is already a reality for the redeemed. Yet I fear that ignorance and false ideas will keep this from happening until the prophesied moment here in Revelation. Note that we are redeemed "out of" our ethnic and national distinctions. This has important practical implications.

Perhaps if Southern Baptist W.A. Criswell had prayerfully read this passage he would have never made his "anti-integration" speech so many years ago. There is obviously no segregation of any sort before God! Also of interest here is the fact that we all will retain our God-created "differences," as John was able, in the vision, to tell that this great company of redeemed ones was indeed multi-ethnic. God help us all to put GRACE before "RACE."