The Law-Gospel Distinction makes as much sense as an Orange Peel-Orange distinction.  If the Gospel message according to Jesus Himself boils down to repentance and remission (Luke 24:52); and that includes repenting of sin, and the wiping away of the power and guilt of our sin (which is breaking of the law); and if Jesus died so that we would love Him and keep His commandments, then nobody would want to distinguish a PART of the message of the Gospel from the Gospel message!

I’m okay with distinguishing justification and sanctification (as well as faith and works), but I utterly reject the idea of separating them in liturgy and life.  They are distinct but not separate.  What many people mean when they say, “We must distinguish these things,” is that we must separate them in the message that we preach, and in the minds and the lives of those who hear our messages.

While some still blend faith and works in a blender, and then toss merit into the equation, we rejected that about 500 years ago.  But the opposite heresy is now prevalent, very prevalent.

We have three groups now: the separators, the blenders, and what I like to call (the DBNS’ers.). Three camps are developing.  But the Bible is clear: faith and works are distinct but not to be separated (James 2:26).

Election, regeneration, faith, repentance, justification, adoption, sanctification, and glorification is the Gospel.  When you get saved, you get the whole enchilada, my friend!  It’s a package deal.  The Law is part of the message of the Gospel on either side of the cross.  It convicts us of our sins, and it provides the rule of obedience to those who love God and have apprehended His love for them.

First, I looked into the Word of God to see if God included something there on His worship. Without too much searching, I quickly found one book of the Bible dedicated to the worship of God: it was the book of Psalms. Here was a true picture of a man worshiping his God, in full color and true life! The psalms provide a literacy in worship. They give us the language of worship. Worship without the psalms is impoverished worship. It becomes imbalanced, sometimes feminized, sometimes sentamentalized. We might even begin to feel comfortable with a traditional form of worship absent of the heart perspectives and emotions of the psalms.

This is why we must teach our children the psalms! If these precious ones will walk with God, engage the battle, and worship, then they certainly must know the Psalms – every one of them. My Family Bible Study Guides on the psalms were written with this purpose in mind. The latest book in the series is now available, covering Psalms 73-106; books III and IV of the psalter.

We are currently offering a $10.00 discount when you purchase all three of the available Psalms Bible Study Guides together. Click here to order!

My major argument that I have voiced repeatedly in many different contexts is that the present day structures and models used in churches often displace the intent of God’s Law (as Corban made the law of God of none effect in the time of Christ) Matt. 15:4ff.   Each local church ought to subject its programs to scrutiny on the basis of what God’s law dictates for family and church (using passages that direct themselves to. . . you guessed it . . .family and church!)

The Sphere of the Sabbath School.

R.L. Dabney

(A Memorial and Overture of the Synod of Texas to the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the United States, to meet in Macon, Ga , 1893.)

“Your memorialists would represent to the General Assembly, that we have seen, with anxious concern, certain perversions and abuses which have silently crept into the Sabbath schools of our Church and country. The first of these perversions is an extensive wresting of these schools from their proper and legitimate scope as missionary measures for the children of neglectful and godless parents, into a substitute for the Christian family training of the children of parents professing godliness, by their own parents in their own homes. The good Robert Raikes, of Gloucester, England, is reputed to have invented such schools in the eighteenth century. His avowed purpose was to give Christian instruction, by this means, only to children of godless parents who received no Christian teaching in their homes. He sought his pupils in the streets, among such neglected children as were straying there on the Sabbath.

“Had one proposed to him to do what is now so frequently done among us, viz.: to invade the homes of them professing godliness, and withdraw to his Sabbath school such children from the domestic tuition which their parents were giving them during the private hours of the holy day (which was then the universal custom of all Christian parents of decent repute), we presume that Raikes would have drawn back in astonishment and strong refusal. His missionary schools were never designed to invade, supersede, this divinely appointed means of grace.”

Source: [1] R.L. Dabney, Discussions, Vol. 5, (Sprinkle Publications, 1980). A Memorial and Overture of the Synod of Texas to the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the United States, to meet in Macon, Ga  P. 336

What I saw horrified me.  It wasn’t the gratuitous violence.  It wasn’t the fact that the only reference to God and His Judgment came mostly by cursing and swearing (mainly from the potty mouth of the heroine herself).  And it wasn’t the fact that there lacked any true redemption, repentance, hope, and the like.  And it wasn’t the fact that kids were killing kids in a dystopian hell.  And it wasn’t that the body-pierced homosexual offered the only respite to the madness.

It was the fact that there were two audiences watching the game, and everybody on both sides of the screen was rooting for the winner.

It was the fact that there are 50 million children who are raised with no concept of a 1500-year legacy of Christian ethics in the west.  They are being programmed to accept situational ethics of the most brutal form.  During the Nazi and the Communist holocausts of the previous century, at least one nation still held to a Judeo-Christian ethical base of some sort.  That is disappearing now.  The Brave New World inaugurates when the Harry Potter and Hunger Games generation matures – in about 15 years.  Things are going to get interesting.

Late that night Emily and I returned home and recorded a program in studio, reviewing “The Hunger Games.”   There will be a remnant who will choose liberty in Christ, rather than play a part in the tyranny and anarchy of the future.

“A new generation of ethicists has begun making the case in favor of so-called ‘after birth abortion.’ Like Princeton’s Peter Singer, they believe that infants are not ‘persons’ entitled to the right to life. Why? Because infants, while human, are not ‘self-aware.’ And these ethicists assert that human beings who lack self-awareness are not ‘persons’ and, if they are not persons, then they have no independent moral status, no automatic right to life, and no claim to the protections of law. The question of whether a newborn child would be allowed to live or die, the ‘ethicists’ argue, would depend solely on the wishes of their parents. The same reasons that might ‘justify’ an abortion at three months gestation would justify an ‘after-birth abortion’ — i.e., the parents can kill a child who is inconvenient, disabled, the ‘wrong’ gender, or simply unwanted. This new thinking shreds the quality-of-life façade that’s often used to justify the abortion of a handicapped child: the only ‘quality of life’ that matters here is that of the parents. … This is our future: an infant’s claim on life will be no greater than that of a pre-born child — non-existent. More precisely, this is our future unless we fight back-loudly.”

My comment:

Fighting back loudly is good. But, by what standard shall we fight?  The old “slippery slope” arguments don’t work as well anymore when you have a Neitzschean ethic, or a Utilitarian ethic, or a Darwinian survival-of-the-fittest ethical theory operating in the minds of MOST of the young people today.

It turns out that common grace isn’t quite so common these days, and natural law doesn’t come quite so naturally anymore.

The futility and pure silliness of the old “natural law” appeal becomes even more obvious as the western world slips further into the quicksand and blindness of autonomy.  The “natural law” crowd in the marginalized, Christian ghetto is even more irrelevant to the ethical discussion.   Common grace is dissipating.  The old Christian order isn’t there any more to give some limited credence to a “natural law” theory.  As man slips further away from a biblical law-order, you’re going to need to bring the old laws back to “limp up to explain it once more!”   It’s God’s Law or Bust.  Either Psalm 139, Luke 1:44, and Exodus 21:22-25 apply, or we have no ethical standard at all.

Those Christians who are embarrassed of God’s law will only contribute to the ongoing drift into post-modern relativism and the frightening Nazi hell that ensues.

It has never been more important to root our children in a solid biblical worldview. I’ve written a simple little curriculum for children, in order to provide them with the basic foundations of a biblical worldview – applying the Bible to every area of life.  It’s called “What Does the Bible Say About That?”  I’d recommend it for 9-14 year old children, and anybody else who needs the basics on biblical ethics, epistemology, and metaphysics.  I gave it to a Colorado State Senator, and he suggested that every member of the Colorado Senate could use a copy of it!

The vision has never been clearer; the enthusiasm has never been more palpable. The positive reception of the messages was overwhelming.  For the three hundred million Americans who missed the conference (and that’s probably most of you reading this blog!), the recordings are available here at our GwV store.  We have excellent quality dvd’s, cd’s, and mp3′s.  Thirteen of the presentations were filmed with a professional three camera arrangement.

To purchase the recordings from the conference, click here.

So why the generational trajectory? Why are the “conservatives” bound to lose every battle, if they hail from a western nation? Issues like evolution, homosexuality, and socialism constitute the outworking of humanist ideals. At root, the doctrine of evolution is man coming up with his own truth concerning origins, by imaginative interpretation of pseudo-scientific data. Homosexuality is symbolic of ethical autonomy. By definition, the humanist will be the source of his own ethics, and he must throw off the constraints of 2000 years of Christian institutions and laws. Sodomy is the highest incarnation of this “ideal.” Socialism is an attempt to infuse man’s governments with the power to control his destiny, by centralizing power with the state and the social engineers. We are only experiencing the fruition of the humanist ideals inculcated into universities from the humanist renaissance of the 1300s and 1400s and the humanist enlightenment of the 1700s and 1800s. Humanism establishes man as the determinant of his ethics, truth, and reality – and homosexuality, evolution, and socialism incarnate these ideals better than anything else. Walt Whitman was too embarrassed to admit his homosexuality in the 19th century, because he lived in a Christian world,. Some 150 years later, he is lauded everywhere as the great progenitor of the sexual rebellion against 1900 years of Christian teaching in the Western World….

To continue reading this article, click here.

Now what?

How do we prepare the next generation, who will live through the brunt of it all?  How do we prepare our children, who will very possibly live through the year 2075?  My answer is simple.  Teach your children God’s Book of Wisdom.  TEACH THE BOOK OF PROVERBS…

To continue reading this article, click here.

Get to Know Our Panelist Families!

Meet them live and in person at the Family Economics Conference on March 8 – 10. Our panelists bring real-life stories, practical know-how, and years of family-based business experience to our popular Family Economics Conference Q&A Panels. During the panels, they’ll discuss marketing, sales, and advertising strategies; what it looks like to integrate the family into business; how family ministry and hospitality works; the good, the bad, and the ugly of their entrepreneurial journeys; and how to take initiative as a young entrepreneur. Plus, there will be plenty of opportunities meet these families and network in person!

Introducing…

As an entrepreneur gifted in marketing and business development, Aaron Voorhees has been involved in multiple successful business startups. A fourth-generation builder and businessman, Aaron now leads his family in the operation of several business ventures, including a design/construction company.

James McDonald, husband, father of ten, and grandfather of two, serves as pastor of Providence Church in Morton, IL. James has served as a design engineer, operations planner, global marketing director, and a publisher, but his true love is preaching God’s Word and ministering to God’s people.

Jonathan Lewis, 29, is a homeschool graduate, entrepreneur, and co-founder of Home School Enrichment Magazine. Starting with virtually no resources, Jonathan and his family launched the magazine in late 2002, and are now in their tenth year. He writes and speaks from his perspective as a homeschool graduate, and enjoys sharing his home-based business experiences with others.

Since the early 90’s the Anthony Courter household has focused on encouraging family economics, family-centered ministry, and discipling men. By 1995, Anthony established enough passive income to freely give half of his year to others, then purchased SolarPathfinder in 2003. His desire was to show his children how to purchase a business and build systems within the business for passive income.

Bill Roach has served as the Chairman of Generations with Vision since its founding. In addition to assisting in the daily operations of Generations with Vision, the seven members of the Roach family have engaged in multiple businesses including insurance sales, financial services, credit card processing, precious metals investments, and health care products.

Mike Cheney used to be a successful real estate manager in Phoenix before God called him to leave his profitable and rewarding career and come home to his family. First a hot dog vendor in downtown Denver, Mike and his family soon became involved in real estate, investing, event management, and most recently a small agricultural enterprise. As the current director of the national AME Program (Apprenticeship, Mentorship, Entrepreneurship), Mike has a passion to share a vision for discipleship in all kinds of businesses.

Craig and Theresa Bowen are the founders of A Candle in the Window Hospitality Network, a growing worldwide network of Christian households opening their homes to one another and delighting in hospitality. Through A Candle in the Window, the Bowen Family has strengthened their own family economy, and they hope to encourage others to do the same through the blessing of hospitality. Craig, a pastor, and Theresa, a homemaker and homeschool mom, reside in Florida with their five children.

Chris and Mary Miller and their family of seven children and six grandkids live on their family farm in Illinois. The Miller Family has farmed their 1,000 acres and maintained a Registered Angus herd since 1976, and the Miller children are always pitching right into the family business, working alongside their father and mother. Chris’s philosophy is simple: work, serve, and suffer with a great attitude.

Roger Erber, husband, father of eight, and grandfather of eleven, currently serves as pastor of Christ’s Church in Harvard, Illinois. Roger has worked as a project engineer and a self-employed tool and die designer, and has also served on the board of Illinois Christian Home Educators. Roger and his family are founders of the Liberty Day Conference & Celebration. Hospitality has always been a big part of the Erber’s family life, and has expanded to include ministering to Roger’s elderly parents, who live with them.

Wendell Sip lives in Northwestern Minnesota where he farms with his wife Beth, and their seven children. From the early age of 12, when his father died unexpectedly, he has experienced the various challenges and stresses of starting his own business. From financial decisions to training his own children to be independent operators, he has trusted God to guide and direct his steps in business and life.

Nathan Sleadd started his first business at the age of 15. Owner and founder of ZipLineGear.com, he used to balance math homework with customer service. Now, at 22, he has nine full time employees and runs three companies. His work in both e-commerce and retail give him experience from the local to the international level. He and his wife, Colleen, live in Oregon with their two children.

Noah Sanders lives with his wife and son near extended family in central Alabama where he manages a family farm. Currently he oversees the production of chickens, eggs, vegetables, honey, milk, and fruit that go to feed his family and community. Noah is the author of the new book, Born-Again Dirt, Farming to the Glory of God and encourages other Christian farmers through his blog, www.redeemingthedirt.com.

… And these aren’t even all of the families who will be sharing on our panels! Stay tuned to www.FamilyEconomics2012.com for information on the many other entrepreneurial families who will be on our panels.

Don’t miss the chance to learn from the stories of these real-life family entrepreneurs!

A segment of our new Genesis Bible Study Guide:

According to Genesis 5:4, Adam had many other children besides Cain, Abel, and Seth. The maximum number of children born to one woman in recent times was 69. Between 1725 and 1765, Feodor Vassilyev, of Shuya, Russia gave birth to the 69 children, 67 of whom survived infancy.   After the flood (Genesis 6-8), deleterious environmental conditions would greatly effect the human genetic make-up and immune systems.  So it is very possible that men and women enjoyed an extraordinarily robust health before the flood, and this would have produced longer and more prolific child-bearing years.  Taking the average lifespan of the prediluvian people against the average lifespan today, and multiplying it by the average birth rate today (2.43), would yield a pre-flood average birth rate of 29 children and 420 grandchildren per family.  Life was very different before the flood.  It’s hard to imagine what it would have been like to keep track of all of those grandchildren and all of their birthdays!  Moreover, Adam would have been alive when Noah was born, ten generations later (making for billions of relatives).

Over one thousand years of world history is summarized in the form of a single genealogy of the line of Seth in Genesis 5. This is the line of the children of God, beginning with Seth, continuing with Enoch, and ending with Noah. God keeps track of His own people. Much of the righteous line synthesized back into unbelieving lines by inter-marriage through the generations. In the end, God only saved 8 people. According to my calculations, 99.94%  of all of the people born before the flood (assuming a birth rate of 29),  died in the flood waters, for a total of 33 billion people.

33 billion dead people.  8 survived.  Unbelieving minds do what they can do marginalize God’s judgments.  This is what false prophets do best.  They cry, “peace, peace,” when there is no peace.  They dismiss any notion of a worldwide flood, and they assure us that there will be no future judgment.  How much do they want to bet on this?  The souls of millions who read what they write?  It is a high stakes game.

“Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.” 2 Peter. 3:6,7.

To order a copy of the Genesis Family Bible Study Guide, click here.