Status Updates From Just Thinking: About the State

Reading this nonfiction book out loud to the kids before nap

10. Elections

elections are about worldviews; worldview and the founding fathers; 3 ?s of Romans 13: a minister of God (public education: a case study), a minister for good (law & order an example of good), and effectual good; a kingdom not of this world, how then shall we vote? minds trained on Christ

9. The Equality Act

"Civilizations dies from suicide, not murder." ~Toynbee; Civil Rights Act of 1964 (based on immutable and fixed human attributes) and its prostitution, the danger of the Equality Act, politics: a means to an end - to implement an anti-Biblical worldview, the spiritual element (rewriting of Scripture & establishment of a lie in the place of truth), neopaganism, how will the church react, Romans 1

8. Reparations

slavery existed before the Transatlantic slave trade (Muslims, slavery in America & Black slaveowners), 'expiation (Jesus' death on the cross is enough to atone for sins like slavery), remembering sins is not Biblical (God has removed our transgressions "as far as East is from the West"); vicarious atonement & indiv sin (attributable & specific), using Zacchaeus: bad example; racist Christians exist

7. Politics and the Black Church

"As Black evangelical Christians robotically vote for one party every election, even when that party goes against God's Word, dogmatically promoting abortion, the LGBTQ lifestyle, and same-sex marriage, no apologetic will justify their actions."

6. Black Lives Matter and Abortion

“‘Social forces’ have nothing to do with your volitional decision to have sexual intercourse & risk getting pregnant. And when & if you do get pregnant, it is not the unborn child who should pay the price for the sinful choice you made…Even in the sin of rape, the unborn child is a human being created in God’s image.”

also woke thinking, reparations, reap what you sow

5. The Born-Alive Act

Abortion =theological issue; Christians missing a Biblical worldview; humanism & human autonomy: living without God, a depraved mind, worldview matters; politics is theology

"Our minds must be captive to the Word of God & our entire intellectual structure shaped & determined by Biblical truth. We cannot subjectively pick & choose where we will apply the Word of God & where we will not."~pg 85

4. A Social Savior

fallacy of heaven on earth; social justice salvation; a different gospel; a “moral movement”; christians, not statists; a message, not a movement; a Savior for sinners, not society

3. Capitalism

capitalism defined; crony capitalism only happens due to govt overreach; need a Biblical worldview (the stewardship of man and the doctrine of man) to understand a capitalistic system; our founding fathers & American history; discussion in regards to questions: materialism, hard work, the disadvantaged, & giving; generous gospel (Christ died to repay our debt and also give us eternal life!)

2. Socialism

what is socialism, concept of centralized state ownership of labor, productivity & property; 7 types of socialism, arguments against Christian socialism (social gospel), millennials are attracted to socialism; socialism is unbiblical: societal egalitarianism is NOT the primary goal of the gospel; private ownership is biblical; ecclesiastical responsibility; socialism's fundamental flaw; lie of socialism

1. Government

the Poor People's Campaign, what is the biblical role of government, how is it an evangelical issue, French socialism & the French connection, problem of partiality, principle of reaping & sowing, God's sovereignty, a God of consequences, created equal vs. guaranteed equality, the role of the church; the gov't is not sufficient, only God provides what we really need; a basic theology of gov't

"Modern Christianity needs more of this type of direct, unequivocal communication as we navigate the contemporary challenges that face us.

How are Christians to respond? What should we do? Well, before we do anything, we should think. And our thinking should be deeply informed and shaped by the Word of God." ~Tom Ascol, Introduction

"Critical thinking and careful discernment are generally scorned within the evangelical movement today. Church leaders painstakingly study culture so they can imitate what is popular, rather than confronting the cultural drift with biblical truth." ~John MacArthur, Foreword

Some key takeaways so far:
- The church, not the government, has the key role in taking care of the poor. However, the church’s first responsibility is to those within its own body first, then move outwardly.
- Christianity is a message, not a movement.
- Giving is never forced in scripture, but freely given from the heart.

Chapter One Takeaways:
- Christians give because they want to not because they have to.
- We are far too covetous
- God is sovereign over the state of every man.