Christians in the Military

The Separation Myth — A Wall by Our Own Design
Amendment I: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Amendment X: The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.

I have often wondered that if there were a real separation of church and state articulated in Amendment I of the United States Constitution, why there continues to exist a “White House Press Corps?” The press is, after all, mentioned in the same sentence. Considering that the very specific prohibition delineated is against the Congress, how then has this transcended into a time when the United States Government is regulating religion in the many states? Was this the intention of James Madison, who is the chief principal involved with its authorship? I think not, for history does record that he subsequently issued at least four Thanksgiving Day proclamations!


Bob Flynn, President/CEOWhat has ensued in the intervening years that has so soured the hearts of many ─ that such an upside-down philosophy should have invaded this “one nation under God, with liberty and justice for all?” Simply put, the Gnostics won! If we are absolutely honest, we must admit that all (every single one) of the churches founded by the Apostles are but a faint memory ─ each one succumbing to the assertions of the flesh. What has become of the spiritual offspring of the great awakenings preached by Edwards, Whitfield and Sunday? Was theirs no lasting legacy?

The methodology that quenched every awakening since the beginning, is the same one now being used to subvert and revise the foundation laid by our forefathers ─ deception. Today the partial truths of those who would see our Nation separated from the God whose blessings the founders in prayer petitioned are transmitted and replicated at light speed from blog to website to blog until the vilest gossip becomes “fact.” Then the talking heads speculate and analyze ad nauseam—seeking to be heralded as the accomplished purveyors of the latest secret truth. Instead, because of original unregenerate depravity, they have become the “Typhoid Marys” of an infectious disease that spreads the ever-tolerant political correctness syndrome until the societal patient succumbs, unaware of the arrival of his ultimate demise and eternal fate.

Who then shall we believe? Shall it be the unanimous Supreme Court of 1892 that ruled in Holy Trinity Church v. U.S., while citing 85 precedents, that this is a Christian nation and others will have to make allowances? Or shall we believe the later Supreme Court who misquoted the Jeffersonian letter (enclosed), and used his vague metaphor (that had no legal standing), cited no precedents, and erected a wall between our government and its Benefactor? How does this “wall” protect the “free exercise thereof?” The history since this latter decision has been one of continued suppression. Perhaps it would have been better for the later court to have quoted Jefferson’s method of discerning original intent:

“On every question of construction, carry ourselves back to the time when the Constitution was adopted, recollect the spirit manifested in the debates, and instead of trying what meaning may be squeezed out of the text, or invented against it, conform to the probable one in which it was passed.” (Jefferson in a letter to William Johnson, June 13, 1823, University of Virginia online library).

Justice Joseph Story, of the U.S. Supreme Court, said:

“The real object of the First Amendment was not to countenance, much less to advance Mohammedanism, or Judaism, or infidelity, by prostrating Christianity, but to exclude all rivalry among Christian sects [denominations] and to prevent any national ecclesiastical establishment which would give to an hierarchy the exclusive patronage of the national government.”

He also said:

“Probably, at the time of the adoption of the Constitution, and of the [First] Amendment...the general, if not the universal, sentiment in America was, that Christianity ought to receive encouragement from the State so far as was not incompatible with the private rights of conscience and the freedom of religious worship. Any attempt to level all religions, and to make it a matter of state policy to hold all in utter indifference, would have created universal disapprobation, if not universal indignation.”

Since this was the original intent, it is not surprising that in 1854 the United States Congress resolved that:

“The great vital and conservative element in our system is the belief of our people in the pure doctrines and divine truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ.”

So why is it that “the freedom for this” and “the freedom from that” organizations go on tilting at the wind? It isn’t that they don’t get it! The problem is, they can’t sell it! All they can do is tell us poor and unenlightened members of the “third estate” citizenry what our problems are and who is to blame for them. That is how it becomes the vogue for Hollywood celebrities to call the disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ the “Christian Taliban” and “Satan’s Whores,” while at the same time encouraging us to come to the theater to see their new movie, or to be sure to tune in for the next episode of the view from the cesspool! “However, Christian, don’t you dare impose your morality upon me!”

That, my friend, is how you sell newspapers, win elections, and have a hit television show! The question that remains though is, “how did this happen?” The Gnostics won! How did they win? Deception! Will the real Lucifer, son of morning, please stand up! We fantasize that the god of this world is responsible for all of the evil things that happen, because we have not peered into the vile blackness of our own hearts! We seem pleased to read John Bunyan’s, Pilgrim’s Progress, with warm pleasure while at the same time ignoring The Holy War and Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners. For therein can be found the cause for this inherent evil ─ it is the face you primp or shave each morning! The real mission and methodology of the god of this world is to “be like the most high.” So if you are looking to find his presence in this world, look for the most amazing, beautiful, holy, etc., Christian, who is too good to be true; and you will have found Satan in all his counterfeit glory. If instead you find a believer struggling each day to find the victory (over sin) that is his in Christ Jesus, then you will have found the genuine believer. How can I say that? I didn’t! Dr. Lewis Sperry Chafer said it in his book entitled, Satan.

Why is there now a wall of separation between church and state? Because we built it brick by brick! We were not pulled off course by turning into a blinding sun. We were lured off course a half a degree at a time until we were convinced in our own minds that true North was now true South. The man who became our first President was asked why the Constitution contained no references to the Almighty. This was his reply:

“I am persuaded you will permit me to observe that the path of true piety is so plain as to require but little political direction. To this consideration we ought to ascribe the absence of any regulation respecting religion from the Magna Charta of our country. To the guidance of the ministers of the gospel this important object is, perhaps, more properly committed. And in the progress of morality and science, to which our Government will give every furtherance, we may confidently expect the advancement of true religion and the completion of our happiness.” George Washington

In today’s politically-correct world, even the Jonathan Edwards Center at Yale University edits away the foundational thoughts of their benefactor and replaces them with the stealth dots of the ellipsis so as not to offend those who might invest in their estate. You won’t find these words iterated in their copy of “The Religious Affections,” but rather they are preserved for us by the Project Gutenberg. In the forward to this grand book you will find Dr. Jonathan Edwards’ transcendent words:

“Many will probably be hurt in their spirits, to find so much that appertains to religious affection, here condemned: and perhaps indignation and contempt will be excited in others by finding so much here justified and approved. And it may be, some will be ready to charge me with inconsistency with myself, in so much approving some things, and so much condemning others; as I have found this has always been objected to by some, ever since the beginning of our late controversies about religion. It is a hard thing to be a hearty zealous friend of what has been good and glorious, in the late extraordinary appearances, and to rejoice much in it; and at the same time to see the evil and pernicious tendency of what has been bad, and earnestly to oppose that. But yet, I am humbly but fully persuaded, we shall never be in the way of truth, nor go on in a way acceptable to God, and tending to the advancement of Christ's kingdom till we do so. There is indeed something very mysterious in it, that so much good, and so much bad, should be mixed together in the church of God; as it is a mysterious thing, and what has puzzled and amazed many a good Christian, that there should be that which is so divine and precious, as the saving grace of God, and the new and divine nature dwelling in the same heart, with so much corruption, hypocrisy, and iniquity, in a particular saint. Yet neither of these is more mysterious than real. And neither of them is a new or rare thing. It is no new thing, that much false religion should prevail, at a time of great reviving of true religion, and that at such a time multitudes of hypocrites should spring up among true saints. It was so in that great reformation, and revival of religion, that was in Josiah's time; as appears by Jer. 3:10, and 4:3, 4, and also by the great apostasy that there was in the land, so soon after his reign. So it was in that great outpouring of the Spirit upon the Jews, that was in the days of John the Baptist; as appears by the great apostasy of that people so soon after so general an awakening, and the temporary religious comforts and joys of many: John 5:35, "Ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light." So it was in those great commotions that were among the multitude, occasioned by the preaching of Jesus Christ; of the many that were then called, but few were chosen; of the multitude that were roused and affected by his preaching, and at one time or other appeared mightily engaged, full of admiration of Christ, and elevated with joy, but few were true disciples, that stood the shock of the great trials that came afterwards, and endured to the end. Many were like the stony ground, or thorny ground; and but few, comparatively, like the good ground. Of the whole heap that was gathered, great part was chaff; that the wind afterwards drove away; and the heap of wheat that was left, was comparatively small; as appears abundantly, by the history of the New Testament. So it was in that great outpouring of the Spirit that was in the apostles' days as appears by Matt. 24:10-13. Gal. 3:1, and 4:11, 15. Phil. 2:21, and 3:18, 19, and the two epistles to the Corinthians, and many other parts of the New Testament. And so it was in the great reformation from Popery. It appears plainly to have been in the visible church of God, in times of great reviving of religion, from time to time, as it is with the fruit trees in the spring; there are a multitude of blossoms, all of which appear fair and beautiful, and there is a promising appearance of young fruits; but many of them are but of short continuance; they soon fall off, and never come to maturity.

Not that it is to be supposed that it will always be so; for though there never will, in this world, be an entire purity, either in particular saints, in a perfect freedom from mixtures of corruption; or in the church of God, without any mixture of hypocrites with saints, and counterfeit religion, and false appearances of grace with true religion, and real holiness: yet it is evident, that there will come a time of much greater purity in the church of God, than has been in ages past; it is plain by these texts of Scripture, Isa. 52:1. Ezek. 44:6, 7, Joel 3:17. Zech. 14:21. Psal. 69:32, 35, 36. Isa 35:8, 10, chap. 4:3, 4. Ezek. 20:38. Psal. 37:9, 10, 21, 29. And one great reason of it will be that at that time God will give much greater light to his people, to distinguish between true religion and its counterfeits. Mal. 3:3, "And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer to the Lord an offering in righteousness." With ver. 18, which is a continuation of the prophecy of the same happy times. "Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God, and him that serveth him not."

It is by the mixture of counterfeit religion with true, not discerned and distinguished, that the devil has had his greatest advantage against the cause and kingdom of Christ, all along hitherto. It is by this means, principally, that he has prevailed against all revivals of religion, that ever have been since the first founding of the Christian church. By this, he hurt the cause of Christianity, in and after the apostolic age, much more than by all the persecutions of both Jews and Heathens. The apostles, in all their epistles, show themselves much more concerned at the former mischief, than the latter. By this, Satan prevailed against the reformation, began by Luther, Zwingli, and company, to put a stop to its progress, and bring it into disgrace; ten times more, than by all those bloody, cruel, and before unheard of persecutions of the church of Rome. By this, principally, has he prevailed against revivals of religion, that have been in our nation since the reformation. By this he prevailed against New England, to quench the love and spoil the joy of her espousals, about a hundred years ago. And I think I have had opportunity enough to see plainly that by this the devil has prevailed against the late great revival of religion in New England, so happy and promising in its beginning. Here, most evidently has been the main advantage Satan has had against us; by this he has foiled us. It is by this means, that the daughter of Zion in this land now lies on the ground, in such piteous circumstances as we now behold her; with her garments rent, her face disfigured, her nakedness exposed, her limbs broken, and weltering in the blood of her own wounds, and in no wise able to arise, and this, so quickly after her late great joys and hopes: Lam. 1:17, "Zion spreadeth forth her hands, and there is none to comfort her: the Lord hath commanded concerning Jacob, that his adversaries shall be roundabout him: Jerusalem is as a menstruous woman among them." I have seen the devil prevail the same way, against two great revivings of religion in this country. Satan goes on with mankind, as he began with them. He prevailed against our first parents, and cast them out of paradise, and suddenly brought all their happiness and glory to an end, by appearing to be a friend to their happy paradisiacal state, and pretending to advance it to higher degrees. So the same cunning serpent, that beguiled Eve through his subtlety, by perverting us from the simplicity that is in Christ, hath suddenly prevailed to deprive us of that fair prospect, we had a little while ago, of a kind of paradisiacal state of the church of God in New England.

After religion has revived in the church of God, and enemies appear, people who are engaged to defend its cause, are commonly most exposed, where they are sensible of danger. While they are wholly intent upon the opposition that appears openly before them, to make head against that, and do neglect carefully to look all around them, the devil comes behind them, and gives a fatal stab unseen; and has opportunity to give a more home stroke, and wound the deeper, because he strikes at his leisure, and according to his pleasure, being obstructed by no guard or resistance.

And so it is ever likely to be in the church, whenever religion revives remarkably, till we have learned well to distinguish between true and false religion, between saving affections and experiences, and those manifold fair shows, and glistering appearances, by which they are counterfeited; the consequences of which, when they are not distinguished, are often inexpressibly dreadful. By this means, the devil gratifies himself, by bringing it to pass, that that should be offered to God, by multitudes, under a notion of a pleasing acceptable service to him, that is indeed above all things abominable to him. By this means he deceives great multitudes about the state of their souls; making them think they are something, when they are nothing; and so eternally undoes them; and not only so, but establishes many in a strong confidence of their eminent holiness, who are in God's sight some of the vilest of hypocrites. By this means, he many ways damps and wounds religion in the hearts of the saints, obscures and deforms it by corrupt mixtures, causes their religious affections woefully to degenerate, and sometimes, for a considerable time, to be like the manna that bred worms and stank; and dreadfully ensnares and confounds the minds of others of the saints and brings them into great difficulties and temptation, and entangles them in a wilderness, out of which they can by no means extricate themselves. By this means, Satan mightily encourages the hearts of open enemies of religion, and strengthens their hands, and fills them with weapons, and makes strong their fortresses; when, at the same time, religion and the church of God lie exposed to them, as a city without walls. By this means, he brings it to pass, that men work wickedness under a notion of doing God service, and so sin without restraint, yea with earnest forwardness and zeal, many with all their might. By this means he brings in even the friends of religion, insensibly to themselves, to do the work of enemies, by destroying religion in a far more effectual manner than open enemies can do, under a notion of advancing it. By this means the devil scatters the flock of Christ, and sets them one against another, and that with great heat of spirit, under a notion of zeal for God; and religion, by degrees degenerates into vain jangling; and during the strife, Satan leads both parties far out of the right way, driving each to great extremes, one on the right hand, and the other on the left, according as he finds they are most inclined, or most easily moved and swayed, till the right path in the middle is almost wholly neglected. And in the midst of this confusion, the devil has great opportunity to advance his own interest, and make it strong in ways innumerable, and get the government of all into his own hands and work his own will. And by what is seen of the terrible consequences of this counterfeit religion, when not distinguished from true religion, God's people in general have their minds unhinged and unsettled in things of religion, and know not where to set their foot, or what to think or do; and many are brought into doubts, whether there be anything in religion; and heresy, and infidelity, and atheism greatly prevail.”

The reason a lost and fallen world calls us the “Christian Taliban” is because that is who, in their eyes, we have become! We no longer are here to “seek and save the lost” but rather to enlighten the masses to the plan that God has for their life—“Gospel-lite.”

In Dr. Edwards’ words is found a great rebuke! But also there appears an earnest hope! The lost are not the enemy! They are the souls for whom Jesus died! When we are, by Grace, able to see them thus, then will our Savior give blessing again to our Land. This, not because we deserve such providence, but because the virtues of the people will be that of “faith, hope, and charity” that come from Christ Himself. Maranatha!

Transformed for Service—God's Sharpened Tool

Bob Flynn, President/CEOThere are no unimportant members in the body of Christ! However, the enemy of your soul will try to make you feel as if you are not needed because you perceive that your abilities aren’t as advanced as those of someone else. The truth is that each of us has providential opportunities that no one else has! The reality is that you are God’s sharpened tool prepared in unique ways to accomplish His mission! “But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where He wants it” (1 Cor 12:18 NLT2E). But how do I get around the perceived inadequacies? What if my life is not currently victorious?

“And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all He has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind He will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship Him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect” (Romans 12:1-2 NLT2E).
Transform (metamorphoo) means “In theology, to change the natural disposition and temper of man from a state of enmity to God and his law, into the image of God, or into a disposition and temper conformed to the will of God.” Noah Webster

Changing—Renewing (anakainosis) means “The act of renewing; a making new after decay, destruction or depravation; renewal; as the renovation of the heart by grace.” Noah Webster

Renovate means “To renew; to restore to the first state, or to a good state, after decay, destruction or depravation.” Noah Webster

"This transformation, it must be conceded, rather than representing the greatest thing impotent man can do for God, represents the greatest thing the infinite God can do for man; for there is nothing to be conceived of beyond the estate to which this salvation brings one, namely, ‘like Christ’ and ‘conformed to the image of his Son.’” Dr. Lewis Sperry Chafer, D.D., Litt.D., Th.D., Salvation
Grace is that attribute residing in the heart of God that allows Him to extend to us (who trust in Him) His love, kindness and favor rather than visiting His just wrath upon us according to our sins and inequities. However, experiencing God’s Grace day to day can become an act of futility and endless frustration in our American culture because of our innate obsession with self. The self-determined, self-centered, self-sufficient, self-actualized, lean Six Sigma American Warrior saint says, “I can do this!—I can live the Christian life!” In doing so, we become, like the words from the Grammy award-winning song, “A Man of Constant Sorrow.”

“But we are not godly. We are constant sinners, so your anger is heavy on us. How can people like us be saved? We are all infected and impure with sin. When we proudly display our righteous deeds, we find they are but filthy rags. Like autumn leaves, we wither and fall. And our sins like the wind, sweep us away.” (Isaiah 64:5-6 NLT).

Our Access

The Grace of God is not obtained by exercising some “If...Then...Else” statement. Grace is not lavished upon the chosen because we rubbed the Genie in the bottle, said the perfect prayer, or read the right book. The very verses that prohibit our self-striving guarantee our access!

“But the way of getting right with God through faith says, ‘You don’t need to go to heaven’ (to find Christ and bring him down to help you). And it says, ‘You don’t need to go to the place of the dead’ (to bring Christ back to life again). Salvation that comes from trusting Christ—which is the message we preach—is already within easy reach. In fact, the scriptures say, ‘The message is close at hand; it is on your lips and in your heart.’” Romans 10:6-8 NLT
Grace comes in the midst of our daily relationship with the Father because Jesus is the door (John 10:7). We have no need to climb into a second story window, or tunnel under the street. Jesus is available at street level—right where we are.

Draw Near to God

Dr. Charles Ryrie, Th.D., Ph.D., outlines James Chapter Four this way:

Worldliness

Its Cause (1-2) “What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Isn’t it the whole army of evil desires at war within you?” (v. 1)
Its Consequences (3-6) “And even when you do ask, you don’t get it because your whole motive is wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure.” (v. 6)
Its Cure (7-10) “So humble yourselves before God. Resist the Devil, and he will flee from you. Draw close to God, and God will draw close to you….” (v. 7-8)
Its Characteristics (11-17). “Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.” (v. 17)
“The one counsel concerning sin is—bring it daily to the only One who can take it away, God Himself. You should learn that one of the greatest privileges of a child of God is the confession of sin. It is only the holiness of God that can consume sin. Through confession I must hand over my sin to God, lay it down in God, and get God’s acquittal of it. I must cast it into the fiery oven of God’s holy love which burns against sin like a fire. God, yes, God Himself, and He alone, takes away sin. The Christian does not always understand this. He has an inborn tendency to want to cover sin, or to make it less, or to root it out only when he desires to draw near to God. He considers covering the sin with repentance, self-blame, or with contempt for the temptation which caused him to sin. He tries to conceal sin with the fruits of the works he has done or still hopes to do. Christian, if you want to enjoy the peacefulness of a complete forgiveness and a divine cleansing of sin, see to it that you correctly use the confession of sin. In the true confession of sin, you have one of the most blessed privileges of a child of God, and one of the deepest roots of a powerful spiritual life.” Andrew Murray, The New Life
“It is important that we get still to wait on God. And it is best that we get alone, preferably with our Bible outspread before us. Then if we will, we may draw near to God and begin to hear Him speak to us in our hearts. I think for the average person the progression will be something like this: First a sound as of a Presence walking in the garden. Then a voice, more intelligible, but still far from clear. Then the happy moment when the Spirit begins to illuminate the Scriptures, and that which had been only a sound, or at best a voice, now becomes an intelligible word, warm and intimate and clear as the word of a dear friend. Then will come life and light, and best of all, ability to see and rest in and embrace Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord and All.” A.W. Tozer, The Pursuit of God
Accepting the Transformation

We must allow for His planned renovation of our hearts by using the means owned by the Spirit of God for this purpose (Dr. John Gill, paraphrase mine). “Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes.” (Ephesians 4:23) We must accept that the promises of God are true and that His grace is there, in order to be able to receive it. There is absolutely one inescapable condition that must be met if grace is to change a person, and that is, God’s grace must be believed. We have to respond to God with an answering trust. And He will act.

“The overwhelming testimony of the Word of God is that every aspect of salvation, every blessing of divine grace, in time and eternity is conditioned only on what is believed.” Dr. Lewis Sperry Chafer, D.D., Litt.D., Th.D., Grace
What is sanctification? Answer: Sanctification is a work of God’s grace, whereby they whom God has, before the foundation of the world, chosen to be holy, are in time, through the powerful operation of his Spirit applying the death and resurrection of Christ unto them, renewed in their whole man after the image of God; having the seeds of repentance unto life, and all other saving graces, put into their hearts, and those graces so stirred up, increased, and strengthened, as that they more and more die unto sin, and rise unto newness of life. Westminster Larger Catechism

Hindrances and Pitfalls

“Faith is manifested by a godly walk. Where there is lack of faith, the outward life may for a time seem to be consistent with the Christian profession, but eventually the old carnal nature will assert itself and there will be a turning back to the world.” H.A. Ironside, Hebrews
“The carnal or fleshly Christian demonstrates his carnality by his inability to receive the deeper truths which are compared to meat in contrast to milk. A carnal Christian, though saved and not needing regeneration, is in need of sanctification to become a suitable person instructed by the Holy Spirit.” Dr. Lewis Sperry Chafer, D.D., Litt.D., Th.D., Systematic Theology
“More certain than the healthful growth of any tree or animal is the growth and increase of the child of God who surrenders himself to the working of the new life. Two things hinder this power and the reception of the new spiritual life. The one is ignorance of its nature—its laws and workings. Man, even the Christian, cannot conceive of the new life which comes from God. It surpasses all of his thoughts. His own distorted thoughts of the way to serve and to please God—namely, by what he does and is—are deeply rooted in him. Although he believes that he understands and receives God’s Word, he still thinks humanly and carnally on divine things.
God must give salvation and life. He must also give the Spirit to make us understand what He gives. He must point out the way to the land of Canaan. We must also, like the blind, be led by Him every day. The young Christian must try to cherish a deep conviction of his ignorance concerning the new life, and of his inability to form correct thoughts about it. This will bring him to the meekness and to the childlike spirit of humility, to which the Lord will make His secret known.” Andrew Murray, The New Life
“Shall we not then give place to a pure Christianity? Christ cannot possess us, and cause the rivers of Living Water which He has promised, to flow forth from our hearts with healing, renovating, transforming, abounding force, unless we are willing to be dispossessed of our own life. Christ will not rear His edifices upon the old foundations of selfishness. It is not a case of simply denying ourselves certain things; but of a complete renunciation of ourselves.” F.J. Huegel, Bone of His Bone
Counterfeit

“Satan, in his counterfeit systems of truth, is said to have ‘deep things’ to reveal (Revelation 2:24) and ‘doctrines of devils’ (1 Timothy 4:1, 2) which things, on the other hand, are as certainly not received by the true child of God; for it is said, ‘And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers’ (John 10:5). Yet the ‘deep things’ of Satan are strangely adapted to the blinded, ‘natural man’ and are, therefore, received by him. Every modern cult is evidence establishing the truthfulness of this statement.” Dr. Lewis Sperry Chafer, D.D., Litt.D., Th.D., He That is Spiritual
A Case for CMF

When I retired from active duty and began this current sojourn on the staff of CMF, I knew full well that I was getting out of the MINISTRY to go into the ministry. Never again would I have the kind of opportunities and access that were available while I wore the uniform and walked the warrior’s path. Combat forever changes its participants! There was a reason that King David was NOT allowed to build the temple—he had blood on his hands. Was he also a man after God’s own heart? Yes! Nevertheless, he was changed forever by combat. The truth still remains that warriors talk only to warriors about warrior things. I must have standing before my words will be heard. God came down to earth as a man (He had standing) and became our kinsman so that He could become our redeemer. Whose kinsman are you?

“In warfare the offensive is the means by which one takes the objective. It is an aggressive advance against an enemy to wrest the objective from his possession.” Jim Wilson, Principles of War
If you think you can win the war all by yourself, then you have lost already. Battles are won when the victor delivers a concentration of force. When a warrior shoots at the enemy, the enemy shoots back! Sometimes warriors get wounded and require care. Fellowship is a concentration of force...salve...etc. CMF is a fellowship with standing!

Twice Called—Once Answered

Bob Flynn, President/CEOWe have many examples from Scripture where God has clearly called people into His service. On some of these occasions the folks receiving the call resisted and even rebelled. Perhaps the most well remembered was Jonah, whose rebellion won him a no-frills sea cruise in the belly of a fish and probably made him the first submariner.

One of my dear friends on active duty in the Navy was Chaplain Vic Walker. He shared with me that he also rebelled against God’s call upon his life. He was an active duty submariner at the time and actually reenlisted in order to refuse following God. He thought this would make it impossible to follow his calling. Needless to say his self-extended tour of duty was not much fun! Every day that he was on patrol and submerged, he thought about his disobedience. Just like Jonah, he was praying for an early release from his self-inflicted circumstances. But God had him first finish his enlistment and then He reiterated the call. By the time he graduated seminary he was too old to join the chaplain corps. But God opened the door by special dispensation and the rest is history. I promise you that my life and our Navy were very much blessed because of this man’s service!

Sometimes the flesh dies hard! We can turn away from the very path to which we are called and turn to our own ways. The result is we reap the whirlwind of our sin and lose the blessing of God’s fellowship in our lives. The lesson I learned from Chaplain Walker’s story was to swallow hard, then follow God’s calling. I too received the call to go into full-time Christian ministry. This call was diametrically opposed to my own wants and desires to continue in research and development at the Pacific Missile Test Center as a civil servant. But in His mercy, God had brought many into my life to affirm the calling. He also brought Vic Walker into my life to display the cost of disobedience ─ or I too would have been in the belly of a fish!

“So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls. But don't just listen to God's word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves” (James 1:21-22 NLT).

Martin Luther, in his commentary on Galatians, expresses the importance of this calling!

“The call is not to be taken lightly. For a person to possess knowledge is not enough. He must be sure that he is properly called. Those who operate without a proper call seek no good purpose. God does not bless their labors. They may be good preachers, but they do not edify. Many of the fanatics of our day pronounce words of faith, but they bear no good fruit, because their purpose is to turn men to their perverse opinions. On the other hand, those who have a divine call must suffer a good deal of opposition in order that they may become fortified against the running attacks of the devil and the world.”

So far we have seen examples of those who have a call from God but did not follow Him, and those who went without a call. I would postulate another possibility as well: those who have a call but have not heard it! Clearly if God does not build the house we labor in vain! (Psalm 127:1 paraphrase mine). However, are we studying the architect’s plans to see how the house is to be built?

A life in military service to our country is a calling in itself. We have a long and proud heritage of Americans who have devoted themselves to this most important calling. Our nation would not be here today if it weren't for the brave men and women who have served us so selflessly throughout our history.
For those of us who call ourselves Christians, there is also a call, a twice call! We are called to make disciples (Matthew 28:18-20) and to reconcile the world unto Christ (2 Corinthians 5) What does this have to do with me? I am not a minister!

“I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope He has given to those He called—His holy people who are His rich and glorious inheritance” (Ephesians 1:18 NLT)

Dr. John Gill gives us a good sense of this calling with his commentary on this text. He iterates that this is the “effectual calling of the saints; which is not a call to an office, or a call merely by the external ministry of the word; but which is internal, special, powerful, high, and heavenly: and this is the calling of God, of which He is the author.”

No small wonder that the Apostle Paul later on begs us to lead a worthy life! Why else are we here?

“Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God” (Ephesians 4:1 NLT).

Every believer has a call! A high and heavenly call from God Himself! It is the Word God has planted in our hearts. Not only a call to follow Him and to serve, but also a call to remain where you are planted!

“Each of you should continue to live in whatever situation the Lord has placed you, and remain as you were when God first called you. This is my rule for all the churches.” (1Corinthians 7:17 NLT)

John Wesley explains it thus:

“But as God hath distributed - The various stations of life, and various relations, to every one, let him take care to discharge his duty therein. The gospel disannuls none of these. And thus I ordain in all the churches - As a point of the highest concern.” John Wesley

How does this affect our military calling?

“‘As the Lord hath allotted to each, as God hath called each, so let him walk’ (so the Greek in the oldest reading); let him walk in the path allotted to him and wherein he was called. The heavenly calling does not set aside our earthly callings.” (Jamieson, Fausset, Brown)

My observation through the years has been that many do well at serving within their local church but few do well serving at work. It is as if our “Christian” lives and our “temporal” lives were lived on separate planets. Are we to be witnesses only at church or are we to bloom where we are planted? It is this compartmentalization that overshadows this phenomena. We either belong “all” to God or belong “not at all.” Many tell me that they are too busy to serve God at work as though the very same God that created time was impotent to order their steps and bless the work of their hands. Does not this display the real inner person who has yet to set aside self to become the servant of Christ? What if Christ had clung to His perquisites as the Son of God the way we cling to our careers and possessions? There are no incremental Christians; we are only incrementally deceived or deluded. Perhaps Elisha Hoffman said it best:

You have longed for sweet peace,
And for faith to increase,
And have earnestly, fervently prayed;
But you cannot have rest,
Or be perfectly blest,
Until all on the altar is laid.

Is your all on the altar of sacrifice laid?
Your heart does the Spirit control?
You can only be blest,
And have peace and sweet rest,
As you yield Him your body and soul.

Would you walk with the Lord,
In the light of His Word,
And have peace and contentment alway?
You must do His sweet will,
To be free from all ill,
On the altar your all you must lay.

O we never can know
What the Lord will bestow
Of the blessings for which we have prayed,
Till our body and soul
He doth fully control,
And our all on the altar is laid.

Who can tell all the love
He will send from above,
And how happy our hearts will be made,
Of the fellowship sweet
We shall share at His feet,
When our all on the altar is laid.

Paul said that God’s light “is the brightness of the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ...and is held in perishable containers, that is, in our weak bodies. So that everyone can see that our glorious power is from God and is not our own...that the life of Jesus will be obvious in our dying bodies” (2 Corinthians 4:7,11 NLT)

We are to be illuminated and powered by God so that the world will see and know the difference! This is possible because “our spirits are being renewed every day” (2 Corinthians 4:16 NLT)

What legacy will we leave behind when we leave the military or even leave this world? I do not care whether anyone remembers Bob Flynn. I very much care that those with whom I served after becoming a Christian know and remember the Lord Jesus Christ. “For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in our bodies” (2 Corinthians 5:10 NLT)

Remember your calling when your body is weak, so that through it you will “be fortified against the running attacks of the devil and the world” as you “suffer a good deal of opposition.” Without Christ active in our lives it is easy to lose heart and quit. Don’t let criticism, pain, and fatigue drive you from your sacred ministry.


What is Marriage? — by SGT Juan Lugo, USA (deployed in Iraq)
There is no subject more misunderstood today, in my opinion, than marriage. Hold on, don't get mad. The marriage of today has lost its foundation—it seems to exist as if it were granted the status of an historic building ─ too quaint to demolish, but too expensive to remodel.

Because the institution of marriage is the keystone of the family and the fundamental building block of our society, its success becomes a benefit to the entire population. Likewise, its failure becomes an affliction whose effects persist for generations.

Is the “two becoming one flesh” still the keystone today? Marriage today has become a virtual media circus. There is not a day that goes by that marriage and its participants are not scoffed at, loathed, debased, and paraded across the news. Our youth conclude that marriage is just a contract with prenuptial agreements, caveats, and escape clauses instead of the holy covenant authored by Almighty God.

The search for the perfect mate seems now like a treasure hunt reality show that mimics the studio casting calls of old. Today you “test drive” a husband or wife like you would a new car ─ picking and choosing the accessories. There are no responsibilities, just benefits. Sadly this behavior exists even among Christians who are endeavoring to find “compatibility.” What is found instead, is the gravity of sin that permeates our soul and starts the crumbling of the foundation like saltwater on the concrete pilings of a great bridge.

Even Black’s Law Dictionary has stated for at least two centuries that, "Marriage…is the civil status of one man and one woman united in law for life, for the discharge to each other and the community of the duties legally incumbent on those whose association is founded on the distinction of sex." Notice the specificity, “united in law for life.”

The traditional marriage ceremony with its time-honored words of, “for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health” speak of the necessary self-sacrifice and perseverance that leads to the greatest of all rewards, genuine love.

God has given us many stars by which we can remain on course as we navigate the marriage relationship. Unfortunately, most of us are completely oblivious to their existence! Ephesians chapter 5 exhorts repeatedly for husbands to love their wives and wives to respect their husbands! The problem comes in the expression of this in the correct language. Husbands need to realize that the wife has built-in insecurities with regard to being loved. She requires daily reaffirming of your love in those little daily expressions. When the wife is insecure, then her whole world is out of tune until things are made right.

For the husband, the love language he needs is “respect!” Wives then need to make that volitional choice to communicate on this channel. When a wife criticizes her husband, in her mind she is being helpful. In his mind, she is shouting, “stupid!”

Neither of these miscommunications does justice to the idea of marriage representing the relationship between Christ and His Church. The word “sacrifice” keeps popping up again and again in my head. The word I see in our society at-large is “selfish,” even though we are to “do nothing out of selfishness or or empty conceit.” (Philippians 2:3)

Today it is all about “hooking-up” and “hanging-out” to meet the needs of the day in a “relationship.” Never mind that sex outside marriage is still a sin that leads to a “depraved mind” (Romans 1:28). Yet this too has become acceptable in our society and is actually highly encouraged through our media “(who) also give hearty approval to those who practice them” (Romans 1:32).

As men, we must do more than just "flee fornication;" we must also deal with the “lust of the eyes,” (the gateway to our soul), so that we are not defiled by the adultery of the heart. But again the current environment seems to cheer us on to be eager to get into each other pants.

Yet because we are men and are visually wired, we must make a covenant with our eyes (Job 31:1) so that we are not stimulated outside of our marriage. We must be looking toward our wives only for our fulfillment. Anything less is sin that darkens our heart and separates us from God.

Marriage is a covenant with God and each other of lifelong companionship. The difference between marriage and living together lies in this covenant relationship. A sexual relationship does not create a marriage. It is the covenant that creates the marriage, and this union of hearts and minds in the presence of God is beautiful!

Dear Lord, Your Word tells us that from the very beginning You created marriage as a one-flesh covenant relationship ─ that what You joined together, no man should separate. I pray that You restore the marriages Satan came to destroy. Teach us to approach Your throne of grace daily with confidence seeking what we need to meet the demands of the day. I give thanks that all things are possible with You, God. You alone give us “peace that surpasses all understanding and guards our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” You Word assures us that the hearts of our beloved spouses are in Your hands, and that you direct their hearts like a watercourse wherever You please. We know they can’t plan or understand their own way, because You determine and direct their steps (and ours). Amen

Editor Notes: Juan Lugo is a CMF Local Representative currently serving in northern Iraq. Pray for this dear brother, patriot and his family.
Why CMF? — by Dan Cartwright, Chariman, CMF Board of Directors
More than a few years have passed since I enlisted in the ranks of Christian Military Fellowship. I joined CMF after hearing a presentation by a CMF staff member to a small group of soldiers gathered for a Bible study in a chapel at Ft. Devens, MA. This “prodigal son” had returned home not long before, and I was excited about my rediscovered faith and hungry for both the Word and Christian fellowship. As a result of that hunger, I had joined the small group that met once a week over lunch at Independence Chapel. What I heard about CMF that day really caught my attention!

I heard about a fellowship of believers who wore the uniforms of our Armed Forces. They were ordinary people, like this young NCO, with an extraordinary vision! They felt called of God to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with their comrades-in-arms, and further, to help each other grow while serving in our country's military. I learned that the purpose of CMF’s small staff, in Denver, Colorado, was to help us “ordinary folks” accomplish the mission defined in the CMF motto— “To Win…To Disciple…To Equip…To Win.” In other words, CMF wasn't about an organization’s ministry TO the military, but about encouraging and supporting ministry IN the military. The “minister” IN the military was supposed to be the “man in the mirror"!

Through the years, the mission and goals of CMF haven't changed. If you read the CMF Orientation Brief today (available on the CMF website “Resource” page), you will find the following statement: "We are a PEER ministry TO military people BY military people WITHIN the military society."

You might be asking "Why?", and that's certainly a valid question. I found a large part of the answer to that question, already in practice, in a book called "Revolution in World Missions," written by K.P. Yohanan and first published in 1986.

K.P. is the founder and President of Gospel for Asia, an organization dedicated to sending support to native pastors in Asia. "Revolution in World Missions" discusses the shift from “colonial" missionary efforts sponsored by Western nations (foreigners), due in large part to countries in Asia gaining their independence from the rule of colonial governments (foreigners) and the tossing out of colonial missionaries (foreigners) along with their governments. The leadership of remaining Christian missionary efforts fell to the native believers, Christians born and raised in the now free countries and remote areas of much of Asia. The spreading of the Gospel became primarily an “inside job,” accomplished by indigenous believers. Was there still a role for the West? Absolutely!

K.P. Yohanan aptly remarks in his book:, "God still sovereignly calls Western missionaries to do unique and special tasks in Asia. But we must understand that the primary role for Westerners now should be to support efforts of indigenous mission works through finances and intercessory prayer."

What may have begun out of necessity (foreigners tossed out) has actually resulted in evangelization and missionary work in much of Asia that is far more effective than the efforts under the leadership of the westerners (foreigners). There are several reasons for the increased effectiveness of native missionaries, attested to by the many organizations that, like Gospel for Asia, are solely dedicated to supporting native pastors and indigenous mission boards:

“They already know the culture, the customs, the laws, the language. So they encounter fewer barriers in witnessing for Christ. They can go where no “foreigner” ever could.” - World-Wide Missions

“… the most effective work done in many foreign countries was that carried forward by the nationals themselves. There were many arguments in favor of such missionary endeavors. They were already on the field. They knew the language and the customs.…I later discovered there is another sound argument for national programs—the fact that the work cannot be closed down where there is any type of religious freedom at all.” Dr. Basil Miller. Founder, World-Wide Missions

Indigenous means, “native to the land.” A palm tree from Puerto Rico transplanted in Pennsylvania will not survive because it is not indigenous. But fertilizer from Pennsylvania applied to a palm tree in Puerto Rico will make it grow better in its native soil. Indigenous Christianity is not an imported denomination or other foreign organization. A Christian group started by foreigners hardly ever becomes truly indigenous. But an indigenous group can be inspired by visiting speakers from other countries (foreigners) and strengthened by financial help from believers overseas (foreigners), provided it is not used to buy control.” - Christian Aid U.S.A.

Let's summarize. Indigenous ministry would be ministry carried out by those who are:

Native to the land,
Already in the field,
Knowledge of the culture, language, customs, and laws,
Cannot be expelled,
More effective, and
Can go where no foreigner could
“Culture” is emphasized above because there is a distinct culture in the military. If the military can be viewed as a culture, the different branches can be called sub-cultures. Taken one step further, there are even sub-sub-cultures in each of the branches of service. I spent my entire career, aside from training and certain schools, in the Special Forces culture. If you are a current or past member of one of the branches of service, you know exactly what I mean. I need explain it no further. Suffice it to say that every culture or sub-culture has its own language, customs, and laws. Outsiders to the culture are viewed as foreigners in the same sense as the colonialists mentioned earlier in this article.

That last characteristic is strongly emphasized because, years ago, an Army Chaplain invited two young soldiers to a Saturday morning men's breakfast fellowship at a local church of his endorsing denomination. At one point the Chaplain told the assembled group: "These two men go places where I will never be able to set foot."

That Chaplain’s few words said it all then, and they still ring true today. They apply to every man and woman in uniform who, unashamed of the Gospel, live out their faith where no Chaplain will ever set foot.

And that's what CMF is about!

Marriage and Family — Wives, Submit — Written to Husbands
“Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord” (Ephesians 5:22 NET).

The greatest problem with this verse─and the concepts there illuminated─is the English language itself! For this very reason it has been misused, abused and wrongly applied for over 1900 years. I suppose we could fill a library with what it doesn’t mean. However, critical thinking would preclude trying to describe something by referencing what it is NOT.


Bob Flynn, President/CEOOur first observation is that the words “husbands” and “wives” does not appear in the original language ─ and with good reason! A woman is NOT called to submit to all men but rather, “A woman to A man” – A wife to HER husband! This is what the text says. This in itself should dismiss a great deal that has been wrongly inferred through the centuries.

If we look at what I call the Greek “Hupo” words (words that are preceded by the prefix “hupo”), we begin to see the problem with a consistent concept being rightly translated from the original to the English without losing the full flavor of the meaning or adding error in the process. The word “hupo” means “by” or “under.” When added to other words it adds to or amplifies the meaning of the word to which it is joined. Let us use a familiar word as an example. The word “hupomone,” is translated “patience, patient continuance, or long-suffering.” The question we need to answer then, is what is “mone,” that we should be “by” or “under” it?

Thayer’s Greek Definitions yields the following: “G3438 mon-ay, a staying, abiding, dwelling, abode; to makes one's abode; a metaphor for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit indwelling the believer.” Therefore, G5281 hupomone means literally then to “abide under,” “to bear up courageously under suffering” (Vines) ─ a rather robust definition not fully captured by the word patience!

As we return our focus to Ephesians 5:22, it will help us in our understanding if we look to a list of words that were not chosen to be used here and discover something significant:

Hupeiko - under yield, submit
hupoballo - suborn
hupodeiknumi- admonish
hupodeo - to underbind - bind under one's self - bind on
hupodema - what is bound under - sandal
hupodikos - under sentence, condemned
hupozugion - under the yoke - a beast of burden
hupozonnumi - under gird
hupopodion - under foot, footrest, footstool (definitely not this one)
hupostasis - a setting or placing under - foundation - support - the substantial quality or nature of a person or thing
hupostello - withhold under - cower or shrink
hupotage - subordination - subjection (Listen up men!)
The intent, then, of the word in this passage is NOT to convey suborning, admonishing, binding on or under, condemn, to yoke or burden, footstool, placing under, cower or shrink, subordination or subjection. Rather the word joined in our verse is: “tasso - to arrange in an orderly manner, that is to assign, addict, appoint, determine, ordain, or set.”

Imagine that! The God of the universe considers that within the Body of Christ, the Husband and Wife should be arranged in an orderly manner! When the co-pilot submits or yields to the pilot, is that a bad thing? They are both capable of guiding the aircraft. But could you imagine what it would be like if they were fighting each other at the controls?

Since Paul was a linear thinker, we understand that this verse is a logical extension of the previous verse: “And further, submit (same word) to one another out of reverence for Christ.” Ephesians 5:21 NLT. In fact, in the earlier manuscripts, the verb in question does not appear in verse 22 but is implied from verse 21. Perhaps it would be good here to introduce the husband and wife to each other as “one another”! Two persons, created in the image of God, joined into one flesh, in mutual submission or yieldedness to each other out of reverence for Christ ─ who have been arranged in an orderly manner!

In the same way, you husbands must give honor to your wives. Treat your wife with understanding as you live together. She may be weaker than you are, but she is your equal partner in God's gift of new life. Treat her as you should so your prayers will not be hindered. 1 Peter 3:7 NLT

God has made one woman to become a wife to one man, and she is so constituted by God Himself. But this is not due to her being inferior to her husband, for they are both equal before God. It is a willing, personal subjection demonstrated in Eph 5:21, “submitting yourselves [hupotassómenoi] one to another in the fear of God.” The word translated “one to another” is “allelois” (G240), in the plural dative, indicating equality of all concerned. In society all humans, all men and women in various positions of leadership or following and dependence, are equal, yet their functions vary and their responsibilities are diverse. We are all equal before God and the laws of society, and yet we have varying functions and responsibilities. If we accept certain functions under a fellow- human, we must subject ourselves to that individual to accomplish a common goal. So it is with a wife placing herself in the proper and divinely-fitted position under her husband. Only a wife can bear children, and to do this she must subject (hupotássetai) herself to her husband. The functions are equally important although different. And they are different not because we want them to be, but because God made them to be so. (The Complete Word Study Dictionary, Spiros Zodhiates, Th.D., General Editor)

For us men to fully understand this concept of wives willingly submitting, we must recognize that we ourselves are the bride of Christ! We have this very same obligation to submit to our husband─who is Christ himself! In so doing, we may recognize that out of the fullness of that union we will understand that we are created to be givers. We can give to our wives the love of Christ that is so great it cannot be measured. Then we will discover that our wives are created to be responders. When our wives are loved with an unfailing love, they will respond!

What is the aroma of your marriage? Is it honeysuckle covered by a morning dew or something that lies dead in the tomb?

Would She Lose Her Arm, or Lose It?—by Pastor Larry Hoskins—CMF Board of Directors

Pastor Larry Hoskins
CMF Board of DirectorsGet a fix? Or go to the hospital? A mother of two children, she stood on the patio in her dazed stupor, trying to decide whether to go home and get a fix or to go to the hospital to lance a life-threatening infection. Her name was Mariesol, and she was a heroin addict.

I met her on the street outside the church in Ensenada. Her hair was disheveled; her clothes, dirty. The top of her left arm was twice its normal size due to a growing infection, discoloring her skin with splotches of black and blue. Some in our group wondered if she was being beaten. Her boyfriend was also a heroin addict. In the center of her arm was a large boil-like inflammation, swollen and oozing pus. She needed to see a doctor, she told us, but she didn’t have the $10 to pay for her visit. Our team had those funds, so she climbed into our van with me and with our translator, Teresa. She hit her infected arm on the mirror as she tried to get to the van, and she was in obvious pain. The church members nearby urged us to take another man, as they were aware of Mariesol’s drug connections. They warned us that we could find ourselves in danger.

As we drove her to the Red Cross clinic, I told her that I was safe, but that I needed her to tell us the truth. She told us that she was a heroin addict, using about four times per day. A worker in a Christian rehab center at our base camp told me that her addiction would cost her about $20 per day. It almost cost this dear woman her life; it may still.

Continuing to the clinic, she said that she had fallen off a bus and injured her shoulder, which had become infected. She denied being beaten, though that is common for those in abusive situations to protect themselves from further pain being inflicted upon them by their perpetrators. When we arrived at the clinic, she closed her eyes as her body drifted gently in different directions due to the influence of the drug.

All the Red Cross could to was give her a pain shot. They didn’t have the equipment or personnel to do what she needed, and they told us she needed to go to the hospital.

So there we stood, on the patio outside the Red Cross, with Mariesol trying to make up her mind. She finally allowed us to persuade her to go to the hospital. Outside in the parking lot where I had to stay with the van, I prayed with her for her healing. She was moved to tears. Her infection was so severe that the doctors said she might lose her arm and possibly her life. We had to leave her there and return to our base camp.

Teresa and I tried to visit her the next day. The doctors had lanced her arm and cleaned out the infection. They wanted to keep her in the hospital for observation for 48 more hours, but she checked herself out before we got to see her.

What makes a woman unable to see that her children need her to be their mother? What makes her unable to see that an infection could end up costing her an arm or her life? Whatever her reason for going down the path to addiction, she had let heroin become her master. She had bought into the deceptive lie that it could salve her pain. Instead, it compounded it by her allowing it to enslave her.

The Apostle Paul wrote, “All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything.” (1 Cor. 6:12 NASU). Apparently, the Corinthians were using the phrase, “all things are lawful for me,” to justify their immorality. At issue was their liberty. In a sense, their emphasis on personal liberty was true, but they were mixing truth with falsehood. Personal liberty was not the freedom to do whatever they wanted, but it was to limit the exercise of their freedom to what served God’s ultimate purposes for their lives. What serves God’s purposes is “profitable” or beneficial. It is what God honors and rewards. It has ultimate eternal significance. Paul warned the Corinthians that personal liberty apart from that singular direction leads to slavery, or as he called it, being “mastered by” the very things they thought would set them free. This was where Mariesol found herself. If we are not careful, this is where we will find ourselves.

Being “mastered by” something does not always come in the form of addictions. To be sure, many in our church, over my years of service here, have found themselves in the clutches of drugs, alcohol, pornography, sex, and the pursuit of money to the point where they were mastered by them. I’ve come to see some great stories of redemption—of brothers and sisters being brought out of such slavery to a newfound freedom in obedience to Christ.

But being mastered by something can happen with seemingly harmless things that can take God’s rightful place in our lives. When that occurs, on the outside, it can look noble and pristine, while on the inside it is corrupt and decaying as a white-washed tomb.

Standing on that patio outside the Red Cross, Mariesol’s indecision has moved me to ask myself a question. Perhaps it may move you to ask yourself the same: Is there anything in my life that is so mastering me? Are we being dominated by some passion that exceeds our own passion for God and for His purposes for our own life?

Get a fix? Or go to the hospital? Mariesol’s answer was obvious to those of us with her, but she couldn’t see it. She needed someone who would help her make the right decision.

I said to Mariesol, “Let us take you to the hospital.” Sometimes those of us who are blinded by what we have allowed to master us need someone to give us the honest feedback and move us in the right direction, even when we are reluctant to go there.

Just like we were able to be in Ensenada for Mariesol, God has placed us in Aurora for the community around us. Grace Church Aurora is a hospital. God is the Great Physician. If you find yourself mastered by something, if you find yourself addicted, go to the hospital. If you find a friend or family member or co-worker so enslaved, ask them to let you take them to the hospital. Sometimes, they’ll go back their old habits. But sometimes, someone will stay and find healing and true freedom in the Lord and through the work of His children. I’ve seen it lots of times at Grace Church Aurora. Hopefully , by God’s doing, you will see it too!

Editor Notes: Larry Hoskins is a graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary and has been the Senior Pastor of Grace Church Aurora for sixteen years. He also serves on the CMF Board of Directors.