Another test of Church obligations and its Constitutional rights

 Though many rarely realize it in this country, the Christian Church is under constant assault from individuals and governments. These people and government institutions seek to undermine the Church and its institution's rights under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.     During the Coronavirus outbreak, Grace Church, pastored by John MacArthur, in California, sought relief from the courts concerning the shutdown of their Church at a time when parishioners needed it most. The Church made a film about their struggle against the state of California and its Governor, Gavin Newsome.
    The legal opinion taken by Grace Church is that the state of California overstepped its authority and violated the First Amendment by threatening arrest and $1,000 per day fines for carrying out church services during the epidemic. To jog your memory, there were thousands of people rioting in the streets of California; burning and looting followed along with these protests. These riots (called peaceful protests by state and federal government officials) perpetrated by BLM during this Coronavirus period came with no threat of jail or fines.

This is the link to the official trailer for the film, The Essential Church.

https://youtu.be/ez20oh_x3Vg

Christians have an obligation to be informed about their Churches and their Christian Community. God didn't send his only son to die on that cross to give us his Grace so that we can go to church once in a blue moon, then place the Bible back on the bookshelf and never touch nor think about it again till the next time we decide, "We ought to go to church." 

China's Communist Party to rewrite the Bible

 

 

 Per Fox News July 17, 2023

As part of a push to "sinicize" religion, the Chinese Communist Party has embarked on a 10-year project to rewrite the Bible and other religious texts. 

In the Gospel of John, Jesus famously confronts the accusers a woman caught committing adultery, saying "let the one among you who is guiltless be the first to throw a stone at her."  

The chastened accusers slink away and Jesus says to the woman, "‘Has no one condemned you?' 'No one, sir,' she replied. 'Neither do I condemn you,' said Jesus. 'Go away, and from this moment sin no more.'"  

Unless you’re a CCP official. Then it's a story of a dissident challenging the authority of the state. A possible sneak preview of what a Bible with socialist characteristics might look like appeared in a Chinese university textbook in 2020. The rewritten Gospel of John excerpt ends, not with mercy, but with Jesus himself stoning the adulterous woman to death. 

Across Henan province, local CCP officials forced Protestant churches to replace the Ten Commandments with Xi Jinping quotes. "Thou shalt have no other gods before Me," became diktats like: "Resolutely guard against the infiltration of Western ideology." 

The 10-year project to rewrite the Bible, Quran and other sacred texts is all part of Xi Jinping’s quest to make the faithful serve the party rather than God. 

At the 19th Party Congress, Chairman Xi declared "We will… insist on the sinicization of Chinese religions, and provide active guidance for religion and socialism to coexist." 

Let me translate: Xi Jinping has no problem with the first commandment, just so long as he and the CCP are playing the role of God. 

You might expect the Vatican, the leaders of the largest Christian congregation in the world, to be incensed and defiant. Unfortunately, you’d be wrong. 

In a secret 2018 negotiation, the Vatican agreed to allow the CCP to select Catholic bishops in China, supposedly in exchange for vague reassurances of "safety" for some Catholic congregations which were immediately abrogated. 

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Pray for the Christians in China and for God to give their leaders the wisdom and courage to follow his will. Breathe deeply, my Christian Brothers and Sisters all around the world, and pray like never before for our Lord to bring the Gospel to and be accepted by the entire world. We must have God's courage and wisdom as to how to handle these dangerous situations. These things cannot be done by man. They must have God's involvement. I am hearing in my country, the United States, that the actions of governments around the world are raising the eyebrows of even the solid non-believers with their actions. This is the time to demonstrate with the authority of the Holy Spirit that God is alive and working. That is what my writing is all about - not money nor celebrity. All glory is to God - so saith the Lord. I love you all!

I serve for God's glory, not mine

 

A publisher recently told me, "If you drop the focus on religion, we'll have a contract for you." For some reason, it brought to mind the famous quote of Admiral David Farragut as head of a Union Naval flotilla entering Mobile, Alabama Bay during the American Civil War. They encountered torpedoes (mines) floating in the water. When asked by other captains of ships in the fleet what his orders are. He replied (in a longer version), "Damn the torpedoes! Full speed ahead!" I work by God's inspiration - only. Everyone should try it with great resolve. It gives you energy, passion, aspiration, and adds definition to your life. When you throw your pocketbook out the window, something divinely mysterious envelopes and strengthens your spirit - immensely. NO! I will never drop my focus on God. He stood with me when I was really bad. I'll stand with Him when most of the world spits in his face. He sent his son to die for us. The least we can do is to live for him. All glory to God!