Devotions

..."the white linen is the righteous conduct of the saints"...
Revelation 19:8b (Moffatt translation)

Ruth Graham "Gone Home"

Billy Graham, like other Christians who believe the Bible is God's Word, sorrows, now that he has lost his loving Ruth, but not as others who have no hope. He expresses the sincere conviction that he expects to see her again in the presence of the Lord.

He and Ruth, college sweet hearts, have been faithful to each other; have worked alongside of one another; have together raised their children to love Christ. They are a wonderful example of Christian married life, and Billy's faith is as apparent and real now, in their separation, as it has been real in all aspects of his ministry.

He is a trophy of grace, a testimony of grace, and a receiver of grace sufficient for him in this day of loss. Would that all of us, Christians, were such picture illustrations of what God can do in a man or woman totally committed to Jesus Christ, our savior and Lord.

May the memory of Ruth's life glorify God.

May Billy continue in grace.

The Prophet's Voice

Where is the voice of the prophet in ABCUSA? Our denomination has always prided itself on having a prophetic voice, of speaking truth to power. Our current GS was selected, among other things, of course, to be a prophetic voice.

So what is a prophetic voice? Some in ABC think it’s a voice that criticizes the U.S. government, or other forms of what it calls power in the U.S., with challenges to the status quo, traditional policy, or historic morality. And, yes, sometimes that voice is a prophetic voice, if the status quo or other object of attack is sinful. But the prophetic voice, if it is modeled on the prophetic voices of the Bible, also includes speaking about the unrighteous personal sin that an individual may have in his/her life, or the sin of the people of God corporately.

Example: Jeremiah 7:8-10

8 Behold, ye trust in lying words, that cannot profit.

9 Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense unto Baal, and walk after other gods whom ye know not;

10 And come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, We are delivered to do all these abominations?

Jeremiah brought this prophetic voice to the nation Judah. I guess no ABC person would argue that the list of sins God excoriates in this message are things that are O.K. for believers to engage in today, that a new historical understanding of the situation in Judah in those days actually allows us to declare, as the Judahites did, that they were allowed to do those things. At least, I hope no ABC persons would make such an argument. I guess no ABC person would start a W&A group for those sins (at least I hope not). But those who did those sins said “We are delivered to do all these abominations.” Somehow this does sound familiar doesn’t it?

Christ died for the sins of others. He did not approve them. Could it be the prophetic voice is telling us that it might be that the ABCUSA, as a body, must die for the sins of those who endorse and do things defined as sin by scripture? Though tears would be shed, it would be a proper funeral for “we sorrow not as others who have no hope,” and Bible believing and obeying Christians would find resurrection in other churches that survive the late ABCUSA.

ABCUSA like Jesus?

Why did Jesus criticize the doctrines and behaviors of the Pharisees? They and He were of the same religion. Some believe that Jesus was of the sect of the Pharisees, one of the boys (so to speak). So why was He often publicly in disagreement with their views? Why didn’t He just overlook their “slant” on things? Live and let live?

The simple answer is that they had gotten it wrong, and it was important for people to know that.

The denomination doesn’t seem to get it. Some things are right, some are wrong. Some match up with the scriptures, and some don’t. And if some things don’t match up, it is important for Bible believers to express that fact. It is important to point out the fact that those who reject the scriptures have got it wrong. ABC leaders should emulate Jesus and be making the case about unbiblical behaviors being wrong.