Redeemer Bible Church Blog

“Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.” 1 Peter 2:13-17

This has been another week of upheaval in America. Another week of Christians questioning their role in civic life. I believe it’s important for me to speak to the nature of Christian civic involvement.

We are all feeling the significant civic division and tension of our time. People are parceling off into factions that are hardening their positions and pulling at our societal fabric to the point that communities can no longer function. Each year these tensions spill over more and more often into angry marches, violent and destructive riots, and open hostile disagreement. We must ask ourselves squarely, “What is the role of a Christian in society?” How should we as individuals that collectively make up the local church react to the increasing turmoil and ungodliness of our time? This is the time that God has appointed that we live. We must live well for His glory.

              I propose that there are three basic approaches to how we can choose to live in the face of a sinful world: Amish withdrawal, daily engagement, or on a militant counter-offensive. The first position of withdrawal is most clearly and fully lived out by the Amish in various communities from Pennsylvania to Indiana. They are a people that have decided living for the Lord means separating from society. They live in a parallel world, touching modern America as little as possible. If members of their community engage in any meaningful way with the modern world, they are excommunicated. Many Christians react in degrees of this same attitude toward the struggles and turmoil of our day. Christians in this camp, shut off news sources, move to the country, work to only build friendships with people like them, and often form small churches of people just like them. The goal is to withdraw from the world and only allow in people that are like-minded enough to not corrupt the small new environment you have carved out. I ask you, does this sound like the life Jesus lived in the world? How does a life like this relate to the great commission to go into the world making disciples of Jesus Christ?

              The second common position is the other end of the spectrum – militant counter-offensive. In this mindset Christians become passionately angry about ungodly things happening in the world. Much of their conversation and life passion revolves around plotting and planning political counter-offenses against those they disagree with. Rhetoric is inflammatory, descriptions are one sided, and there is talk of warring against and defeating an enemy, often various governing authorities – not honoring them. People on this side of the spectrum open themselves to moving from angry words to militant actions. Like the withdrawal camp, they also form like-minded groups and tend to not welcome those that don’t share their anger and frustration toward the sinful world. This anger toward the world drives out any meaningful love for the lost souls around them. Again, I ask you, does this sound like the life Jesus lived in the world? How does a life like this relate to the great commission to go into the world making disciples of Jesus Christ?

              I feel strongly that we are called and commanded by God to a middle position of neither withdrawal nor militancy, but daily engagement. We are called to live like Jesus, in the midst of the world, but set apart from the world by how we live. A prayer of Jesus is recorded in John 17. In verses 17-18 Jesus prays that His disciples will be set apart from the world by the truth of God’s word. But in the next verse Jesus re-affirms sending His disciples to live in and among the lost people of the world. We are intentionally sent into the world to bear witness about the cross and resurrection of Jesus (Matthew 28:18-20). We are sent into the world to live virtuous transformed lives that affect our communities like salt and light. We are sent into the ungodly world to be peacemakers, those who show authentic and enduring love – even to those who persecute us. We are commanded by Scripture to be subject to human governing institutions and to honor and pray for governing leaders. These commands were not given during Cromwell’s protectorate or following the American revolution. They were given during the occupying rule of the Roman Empire.

              As we remain engaged in the non-Christian world – while also living out an authentic, virtuous, and humble faith in Jesus – we bear witness to the real salvation of Jesus Christ. As we love and study God’s word it will change us, and we will become sanctified (set apart) in how we speak, act, serve, and lead. However, these good effects will be nullified by withdrawal or corrupted by militant anger.

              In practical terms this means getting a job in the business world, in the trades, in teaching, in government, in law-enforcement – somewhere in the non-Christian world – then sticking with that job so that your Christian life influences your workplace. It should be obvious that if you withdraw (quit), you will no longer have an influence in that place and with those people. It must also be clear that if you come into that same workplace each day full of frustration and anger, you are having a bad influence on the workplace. You’re actually pushing people away from Jesus, not drawing them closer. The correct role of the Christian is to come into the secular workplace with virtue, hope, wisdom, truth, peace, and contentment.

We live as Christians, associating ourselves with Jesus as we work in the world. We entrust our lives to Jesus, asking Him to make a way for us. Americans are deeply blessed to live under a form of government devised to function according to a Christian worldview. It recognizes our God-given rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. One of the central freedoms guaranteed to us by the bill of rights is the free practice of our religion. We should rejoice over the many recent supreme court rulings continuing to uphold our rights to religious liberty. These liberties make way for us to live engaged Christian lives, largely free from direct persecution.

              Our government was founded upon a strong constitutional basis. A basis that requires an inner moral compass to function. No outward governmental set of laws can make up for a lack of inner moral law. The first line of restraint must be our own moral restraint. This was widely recognized in early America. Benjamin Franklin stated, “Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom. As nations become more corrupt and vicious, they have more need of masters.” Or to the contrary from Patrick Henry, “Bad men cannot make good citizens … No free government, or the blessing of liberty, can be preserved to any people but by a firm adherence to justice, moderation, temperance, and frugality.” The idea is that a people who are not largely governed by their own inner sense of virtue and restraint must be restrained by government and civil law. Personal lawlessness leads to an increase of civil government and law enforcement action in an attempt to control an out of control populace. Eventually, freedom devolves to totalitarian government of complete control.

              My point here is that trying to withdraw from the struggle won’t work. There is no unexplored place to run to. Militant revolution of a non-virtuous people will only repeat the horrors of the ineffective French revolution. The answer is the way of Christ Jesus our Lord – direct abiding engagement in the world with the Gospel and virtue. We must be determined to hold our positions and hold our ground, not to fight but to influence. We must not run away, or return evil for evil, but return blessing for cursing. We must turn the other cheek, be long-suffering, content, and courageous for good.

              I would remind you of the four classic virtues that this country was founded on. Virtues that arise directly from Christianity and virtues that cannot continue without the preaching of God’s word and the continuation of the local church. As defined by Charles Murray, these founding virtues are industry, honesty, marriage, and religion.

              Industry is hard continuous work. From the Bible we know that God created people to work, not sit by the pool. People that have no meaningful work know their lives are being wasted. Christians call this the doctrine of vocation. It is Christian truth that God created you with certain gifts and talents that make you good at certain work. When you apply yourself with discipline and diligence your God-given talent will flourish, your work will be rewarding, and society around you will be a better place because of your contribution. America was built on the Christian virtue of vocational industry.

              Honesty is the Christian virtue of not bearing false witness against your neighbor. No society that is full of liars will last long. No business contract law can function, if most people don’t keep their word. No system of justice can endure, if most people are willing to lie to manipulate outcomes. Honesty produces trust. Leaders must be trustworthy. When local, church, state, and federal leaders are no longer seen as trustworthy, all society breaks down into a power struggle. Sometimes political or direct physical force is used to take what you want before someone else does. No free or peaceful society can exist amongst a society of selfish liars. America was built on the Christian virtue of general honesty.

              Marriage is the cornerstone of civil society. By marriage I mean one biological man and one biological woman in Christian marriage. Marriage is the chosen life-long bond where a man and woman strengthen and encourage each other through the struggles of life. One is strong when the other is weak. Complementing talents making one whole unit, the family. Into this stability and hope children are born. Here they grow up with a sense of belonging and heritage. Here children are loved, nurtured, educated, and disciplined. Marriage is self-sacrificing. One person lays down their life for another, and together sacrificing for their children. This whole arrangement morally honors the Lord and is an engine for virtue instead of selfishness. America was built on the Christian virtue of marriage.

              Religion is most basically the recognition that there is a God. It is the opposite of secular humanism. The Bible reveals to us who God is that we might believe in Jesus as our Savior. All religions are not equal or the same, but a virtuous society understands that a person cannot, and should not, be coerced into a particular religion. From the heart we must learn who God is and that it is right to love Him for His goodness and mercy. Every person is created in the image of God, with the possibility of having a relationship with God. Virtue can never come from our own corrupt and selfish hearts. A virtuous, free, prosperous, and peaceful society can only come from a nation that is largely made up of people that believe in the God of the Bible and by His grace learn to live by divine virtue. Virtue comes from the Lord, not from the academy or from government. America was built on the Christian religion.

              Our daily Christian engagement with society should actively work to instill these virtues back into society. We must not withdraw or quit. We must not be characterized by anger, hate, or violence. We must live out these virtues ourselves and teach them to our children. As Christians we must lead in the workplace, the trades, the military, the academy, in law-enforcement, and in government. Apart from the gospel of Jesus Christ these things cannot be accomplished. Virtue comes from a changed heart, and a changed heart can only come from the Lord.

              In closing, I would especially note that many people in our church are involved at various levels of government service and law enforcement (local and federal). These are necessary, God-ordained roles. In these roles we must especially press in with engagement and not withdraw or build up anger. Good Christian people should remain in their positions of service. Young people should continue to enter into these positions with hope, but being prepared to stand their ground of virtue. Only by engagement of virtuous people will virtuous ground be gained.

Pray for your governing leaders. See where God is working and join him. You don’t have to look far! God is working in the lives all over our church!

May the Lord restore the peace of our land through revival,

Pastor Vic

“Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” —Ephesians 6:4   We are so blessed at both Redeemer churches to be overrun with children. Kids everywhere! What a blessing from the Lord, but also a tremendous responsibility. I felt led this week to remind you of some Christian parenting fundamentals. Parenting is a daunting task, for which none of us are adequate. Every Christian parent sees their own sinfulness while trying to raise kids to love and follow Jesus. Parenting is an act of faith, believing that God will honor your very imperfect efforts in the life of your child. However, God is able to take a crooked stick and strike a straight blow. God will honor the truth of His word and give you wisdom to raise children that love Jesus in the midst of this dark world. Below are 10 basic fundamentals:   1. Authentic Godly Love: Every Christian parent must begin with the master virtue of love. You must ask God to help you love your children in the same unconditional, selfless, and life-giving way that God loves us. Parenting without love only leads to temporary change in behavior, not permanent change of the heart. Our children must know that regardless of their behavior or performance, we love them. This is the ground upon which effective discipline is applied. Love in the Christian parent is an ordered love. Our love must first be toward Christ our Savior, which will flow into a healthy love for one’s husband or wife. When two parents love the Lord and each other, only then are they prepared to rightly love their children. If love has dried up toward God and one’s spouse, the children will know and be seriously affected by this family dysfunction. “Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8). When you love your child for Jesus’s sake, you will see the best in them, hope in them, and more readily forgive their sins. 2. Discipline and Authority: It is absolutely imperative that a Christian parent strive to bring their child under their God-given parental authority as early as possible in the child’s life. A child is not a blank slate of wonderful self-expression waiting to be enjoyed by those in the family. Children are born in sin and grow into rebellious adults if they do not learn to come under authority. Long before a child can learn about the grace of God in Jesus, a child must learn about the authority of their father and mother. A Christian household must be a parent-directed household, not a child-directed household. The parent is directing, guiding, educating, and disciplining the child to shape their mind, body, character, and soul. The Christian parent does not allow the child to do whatever they want. There are many forms of effective Christian discipline, but I firmly believe appropriate spanking should be the baseline for small children in normal Christian homes. Proverbs is a book of divinely inspired wisdom – Scripture that we should not ignore. Proverbs speaks of the wisdom of a measured amount of pain in “the rod” effectively shaping the character of a small child when correctly applied in love and self-control (Prov 13:24, 22:15, 23:13-14, 29:15). I understand the need to depart from this baseline when disciplining abused and traumatized children, but don’t make the mistake of turning the exception into the rule. Lastly, strive to discern with wisdom the difference between childishness and rebellion. A child should only be disciplined for intentional willful rebellion. 3. Evangelism: From the earliest days of our children’s lives we should be seeking the salvation of their soul. It must be the abiding number one goal for the life of your child. You must pray and drive toward the salvation of the soul of your child before all things. This is an act of prayer and faith. You cannot make your child believe, but you can train them up in the ways of the Lord and actively seek for them to confess their sins and believe in Jesus. Most parents have other primary goals for their children, but the Christian parent must understand that if their child gains the whole world but loses their own soul, all has been lost. Evangelizing the souls of our children must come first. 4. Spiritual Training and Discipleship: Children will come to salvation by “means of grace.” This means they will come to understand who Jesus is, His love for them, how their sins can be forgiven, and what heaven is by the means of learning from the Bible and worshiping the Lord with other Christians in church. Children love stories. Read them good Bible story books; there is no better age for your children to become familiar with Bible characters. Make church a priority. Have them in “big church” church worship services every week and in children’s teaching where it may be available. Pray as a family, read the Bible together as a family, have everyday conversations about the character and moral commands of God. Lastly, genuinely model by living what you preach in front of your kids. 5. Time: Both parents must spend time with their children. However, the time a mother spends with her young children is designed by God. The primary (not only, but primary) role of a wife and mother is the nurturing of children and the making of a home. If God has given you children, then He has given you the duty to care for that child. If it is financially impossible for mom to be the primary caregiver to the children and to oversee a safe, nurturing, and loving home, then this should become a goal both parents strive toward. No paid worker can love, discipline, and nurture your child like mom can. No extra money or career goal is worth giving up the precious early years of shaping the hearts and minds of your small kids. We live in a crazy busy world, a world where we must make time to be with our kids. We must say no to other less important things, so we can say yes to investing directly in their lives. This involves the investment of time and money. Yes, we invest in our kids, and it will pay a wonderful dividend. One important thing to not overlook is investing in good memories together as a family. 6. Words of Blessing and Affirmation: We must constantly speak words of blessing to our children. Each child must know you are their biggest fan, not their biggest critic. For every word of correction, let there be ten words of affirmation and praise. It takes intentionality to speak this way. It means you are actively looking each day for how to fill up your child’s heart with words and actions of love. Part of these words are words of prayer. You should pray for and with your child. This should not just be cute formulaic prayers of repetition, but your children hearing you speak to God in prayer. By hearing you, they will also learn how to pray. 7. Food and Nutrition: Food is fuel for the body. Diets made up of high sugar, starch, fat, and processed food are not healthy for anyone. It’s not fair to fill a child with sugar and caffeine and expect good behavior. Please set your child up for success by feeding them healthy low sugar and low/no caffeine diets. It’s common knowledge that homemade meals are cheaper and better for you than standard restaurant fare. Healthy home-cooked meals take a significant investment of time but produce powerful results of physical health in children. Home-cooked meals also play a role in creating healthy rhythms of daily family conversation and prayer around the dinner table. Consider investing more heavily in this area. 8. Drugs: In our day, drugs are often given to small and elementary aged kids as a substitute for discipline and parenting. Many modern non-Christian worldviews don’t have a place for discipline but also will not allow unruly behavior. This often results in children being drugged. Drugs can never shape the character or soul of a young child, they only dull the senses and keep them “calm.” However, the high-energy, stubbornness, endless pretending, and flighty creativity of young children is the foundation of greatness in later adults. These God-given qualities, which may not show well in crowded standardized classes, must be molded, channeled, nurtured, and shaped through appropriate discipline – not stamped out and dulled. 9. Asking for forgiveness and receiving forgiveness: It is vital that as a parent when you wrong your child that you ask for their forgiveness. You and your children know you are a sinner. If you model asking for and receiving forgiveness you will be modeling the Gospel for them. If you wrong them, but never ask forgiveness, you will model pride to them. 10. Perseverance: Never, ever, ever give up on your children. When things get rough, go back to these fundamentals and keep applying them. Aim first at the heart, love them deeply, pray for them and over them, tell them the truth, and hold them accountable for their sins. The older they get, spend more time asking questions and engaging them in meaningful conversation. Give them to God in faith.   May the Lord save all our children. May not one be lost to this world! Pastor Vic

“When I, Daniel, had seen the vision, I sought to understand it. And behold, there stood before me one having the appearance of a man. And I heard a man’s voice between the banks of the Ulai, and it called, “Gabriel, make this man understand the vision.” So he came near where I stood. And when he came, I was frightened and fell on my face.”–Daniel 8:15-17a

Daniel chapter eight is a third vision of the coming kingdoms of the world that will rise and fall before the incarnation of Jesus Christ, and the inauguration of the kingdom of God in the world. I will review this chapter here in the newsletter instead of from the pulpit.

This vision of the future is revealed to Daniel in the third year of the reign of Belshazzar. Belshazzar ruled as co-regent of Babylon with his father Nabonidus. Daniel 5:18 refers to Nebuchadnezzar as Belshazzar’s “father,” but this should be understood in an ancestral sense and not a biological sense. Nebuchadnezzar (II) ruled Babylon from 605 to 562 BC. The co-regency of Belshazzar ran from 550 to 539 BC. I remind you that the purpose of the record of Daniel is not to be an all-encompassing history, but an accurate record of the work of God in the life of Daniel and his friends during their time of exile and captivity.

The vision recorded in chapter eight occurred in approximately 547 BC. If Daniel was fifteen years old when he was taken into captivity, that means he was approximately 67 years old when he received this vision from God. It is important that we understand Daniel as a faithful, older man at this point. He had lived nearly his entire life in exile and captivity, but at the same time seeking the kingdom of God and the restoration of Israel. Lastly, at this time, he continued to serve in the court of the Babylonian king, going about doing “the king’s business” (v. 27).

The vision is given to Daniel, not in his home, but by a canal in the city of Susa. As he looks across this canal, the Lord reveals to him a more specific version of what will happen in the future. Each vision – the statue, the four beasts, and now the ram and goat – gets more specific concerning God’s actions in the future. The interpretation of this vision specifically names the nations that will overtake Babylon and devour each other on the way to the eternal kingdom of God. The interpretation of this vision introduces us to the angel Gabriel, the same angel that will later announce the birth of Jesus to Mary. This is the first time in Scripture that an angel is named.

After reviving Daniel from his overwhelming shock of seeing heavenly glory and majesty, Gabriel interprets the vision to Daniel. It’s important that I note Daniel did not understand what he was seeing (v.15). Daniel did not come to understand these things because he was clever, but because they were explained to him by Gabriel. Many people in every age of church history have claimed with certainty to draw all kinds of meanings from the visions of Daniel that he himself did not draw from them, and were not made known through the interpretation of God. This is similar to many of the farfetched interpretations that many impose on the parables of Jesus. The purpose of this vision remains the same as the previous dream and vision – that the kingdoms of men will rise and fall by the purposes of God, not by a human hand (v. 25b).

In this vision Daniel records what he saw of a warring ram and goat. The ram whose horns are broken and is overwhelmed, is declared to be the Mede and Persian Empire (v. 20). The goat that rises in strength, but who’s one horn is replaced by four, is named as Greece (v. 21). The one great horn, understood to be Alexander the Great, is broken and replaced by four, understood to be the four Greek generals – Cassander, Lysimachus, Seleucus, and Ptolemy – who assumed power over different portions of the Greek empire following the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC (v. 22).

This particular chapter is one of the great stumbling points for people that deny the actual authorship of Daniel. They claim it is impossible that Daniel could know the correct names of actual historical empires yet to come. This struggle revolves around unbelievers coming face to face with God knowing and causing the future in starkly real terms. This chapter begins with symbolic characters but ends with real historic facts. The Medo Persian Empire DID follow the Babylonian Empire, and the Greek Empire DID follow the Medo Persian Empire – and that Greek empire was led by one spectacular world conqueror. The assertion of the unbelieving is that this book must have been written closer to the time of Jesus. The assertion of the believing is that it proves the sovereignty of God unlike any other book in the Bible.

Verses 23-25 speak of transgression rising and reaching its limit, then being judged. This judgment involves a king who will bring a fearful destruction, be deceitful, destroy many, then himself be destroyed. Since this ruler comes after the “four kings” as a “little horn,” he is understood to be Antiochus IV Epiphanes who came to power in 175 BC. Antiochus IV persecuted the Jews and desecrated the temple. Mitchell Chase writes, “He ordered a slaughter of Jews, resulting in approximately forty thousand dying by violence and around the same number being sold into slavery (2 Maccabees 5:12-14). Antiochus attacked the temple and, in 167 BC, ordered the cessation of regular offerings. On December 16, 167, he set up an idol of Zeus on the altar of the temple, thus desecrating the sanctuary. He also, at the same time, defiled the altar by offering pagan sacrifices, including pigs. He cast down the “truth” by forbidding practices commanded in the Law and forcing Jews to adopt Greek customs and religious practices.”

The “2,300 evenings and mornings” (v.14) are approximately six years and three months, which corresponds to the period between the desecration of the temple by Antiochus IV and its restoration by Judas Maccabeus. Judas Maccabeus recaptured Jerusalem, reconsecrated the temple, and offered its first sacrifice upon a new altar on December 14, 164 BC. This rededication of the temple is memorialized by the Jewish people in their celebration of Hanukkah.

These things are a faith-building fascination to us today but were shocking and over-whelming to Daniel. Seeing the violence and struggle of the future caused Daniel to be “overcome and lay sick for some days” (v. 27). It is a rare thing for any person to have the future revealed to them by God. It’s too much for us. The normal path of the Christian is to believe God and walk by faith, waiting on the Lord to bring His purposes to pass. However, may Daniel chapter eight encourage you, that God knows the future and chose to reveal it to Daniel.

Soli Deo Gloria,
Pastor Vic

“Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”–Ephesians 4:29-30

The words that come out of our mouths everyday are very important. The words you use are expressions of what is in your heart. That’s why in the fourth chapter of his letter to the Ephesian church, while instructing about putting off the old self and putting on the new self (vv.22-24), Paul admonishes the church to speak no “corrupting” word. Other translations use “unwholesome” word. The speech of a Christian should not be corrupting, tearing down, or bring evil with it. The words of a follower of Jesus Christ should not be unwholesome, profane, and cause the Holy Spirit to grieve. Our words should not be filled with cursing, anger, profanity, and hate.

The words chosen by a Christian should set them apart from the world. Our speech should be holy. To be holy means to be set apart for a sacred purpose. Following the command of Paul in this area of speech will immediately set you apart from the world. Do you want to put off your old ways and take up the new ways of Jesus – start with how you talk. By simply choosing not to use any profanity in your speech, you will immediately stand apart from this lost world. Those of us out in the working world everyday or in the public-school setting understand what it means to be surrounded by profanity all day every day. Living in the world and speaking without profanity requires the fruit of the Holy Spirit of self-control. James 3 is very clear that taming the tongue is a work of the Lord. When a person’s speech begins to change, it signifies a greater change in the heart.

This area of speech is also a significant area of Christian public witness. Christians serve as the public conscience, helping unbelievers know right from wrong by how we live. As we associate ourselves with Jesus and speak without profanity, but instead go about telling the truth, praising good, and speaking with thankfulness – the world becomes convicted of its speech. By standing apart in the way we speak, we help awaken the conscience of others around us. A Christian that does not give into the draw of profanity and lives with the same group of people for months will see a change in the verbal environment.

Instead of cursing, we are told to speak in a way that builds people up! Instead of insulting, gossiping, cutting down in anger, and slandering others we are to speak in a way that builds them up and blesses them. We are looking for good things to say about others, words of encouragement. Our words are to fit the occasion. This has to do with timing, and timing first comes from observation. We are to be aware of the people around us and speak to them in a way appropriate for blessing them.

I hope you realize how powerful your words are. Your words to others will help them or hurt them. Your words will point them toward Jesus or away from Jesus. Your words to those close to you have the power of life and death. If you are married, you are the most important person in the life of your spouse. If you use your words to tear them down and tell them how stupid and worthless they are – they will begin to believe these lies over time. But if you, instead, speak words of love, encouragement, and blessing to your spouse – they will begin to believe they can embody all the beautiful fruits of God’s Spirit. Be careful to speak in a way that builds up your spouse!

We wield this same great power with our children. Your words to them are lifechanging and of immense importance. Do you speak words of blessing, truth, encouragement, and love over your children? Or are your words more frequently angry, condescending, proud, and belittling? Your children will believe the words you tell them. Let no corrupting word come out of your mouth. May we, as parents, not be the one’s corrupting our own children. Instead, pray for God’s help to speak timely, grace filled, truthful words that build up.

Finally, let us not grieve the Holy Spirit in how we talk. I believe the most significant way we grieve the Holy Spirit in our words is through breaking the third commandment (Exodus 20:7). When we use the blessed and sacred name of Jesus – the name given by the angel Gabriel for the Son of God come down from heaven to save us from our sins – as a common curse explicative we grieve the Holy Spirit. When you believe in Jesus as Savior and come to worship Jesus for the new life He gives, you can’t bear to take His name in vain.

It’s not a coincidence that thousands of years after the death of Jesus the unbelieving world still chooses to use the name of Jesus as a curse. They don’t do this with the name of Mohamed, Joseph Smith, or Buddha. The corrupted human heart chooses the name of Jesus because we know there is something truly terrible about misusing this sacred name. Christians must take this seriously and stop grieving the Holy Spirit through blasphemous speech.

Let your light shine before all people by the way you speak! Today use your words to bless and not curse. Build up those around you with grace and truth.

May the Lord put a guard over our mouths,
Pastor Vic

Redeemer Building Update

Church family,

So much has happened recently the elders want to make sure everyone has a clear picture of what is happening with the building so you can pray, participate, and give as you feel led by the Lord.

Land: The church membership voted to purchase a 3.5 acre parcel of land in the center of the Spotsylvania Courthouse Village development. This parcel is adjacent to the new white brick Planter’s Bank building facing Courthouse Road. This parcel will accommodate a sanctuary and up to five additional smaller educational buildings. Now that the congregation has voted to purchase the land, Vakos Properties will parcel this piece of land out of the larger acreage according to our site plan. Deacon Travis Elkins will pick up from deacon Benjamin Pennington’s efforts and continue work on the overall site and building plan. Only after a final site plan is approved by the county and the land is officially parceled out, will the land purchase officially take place. It will take some months for this due diligence to occur. During this waiting period the cash for the land purchase will remain set aside in the building fund.

Building: The plan is to build a one-level sanctuary that will seat at least 500 people and up to two smaller educational buildings in the first phase of building. Each educational building will give us eight good sized classrooms. The goal of building in phases is to avoid the prolonged period of fund-raising or a heavy debt load from building one large multi-story building. The goal is to raise enough funds to make sure a mortgage is less than what we currently pay in rent. In this way, we can assure the mortgage cost will not change the focus of ministry. We will know for sure that such a mortgage is within a manageable and modest church budget. Right now, the building and financing situation is a moving target. Both building and financing costs are rising, but the Lord has, and will, provide His church a necessary place to meet. By our estimates we need to raise at least $2,000,000 to seriously look at beginning to build. This may seem like an insurmountable task, but nothing is impossible with God!

The Lord provided $700,000 for land without us even talking about the subject, and the elders believe the Lord will provide again! The Lord will provide through the sacrificial generosity of His people. When you go to the on-line giving portal there is a designated “Building Fund” giving account, or you can designate your gift placed in the offering box next to the welcome desk. 100% of what is given to the building fund will go to building. If you have non-cash gifts (such as stocks) that you feel led to contribute, please see an elder, or our treasurer, for how to accomplish that. We will be patient and wait for the Lord to provide. The focus of Redeemer Bible Church is not going to become building a building. We will remain focused on the disciple-making call of Jesus Christ. When the Lord wants us to have a different building, He will provide in a way that will glorify Himself. The elders believe that as we take this need to our good Heavenly Father, He will move people to give cheerfully, and the need will be met in His perfect time.

May the new church buildings be built with joy, without controversy, without manipulation, through self-sacrifice, partially by the work of our own hands, and all to the glory of God that the lost may come to salvation in Jesus Christ.

New Rental Space: At the last member business meeting we voted to sign a one-year (renewable for two more years) lease on the first floor of the adjacent building. This building will allow Redeemer to double our current educational space. These classrooms will make room for more children’s ministry on Sunday morning, more youth small group space on Wednesday night, and more adult small group meeting space throughout the week. We are very thankful for this answer to prayer! This rental space will be occupied until we can build the new educational buildings.

This space will require some renovation that must be done by the church. We are so grateful that deacon Andrew Mines will be heading up this project. Like our last church renovation project (the grocery store – now the sanctuary) we will do most of this work ourselves to save significant cost. The savings will be put toward the new building. So much joy and relationships come from working together in the church. If you are handy or can paint, please contact Andrew to sign-up for work crew days. We will begin work as early as late July. Our hope is to have the space ready for children’s ministry when school is back in session this fall. This will take diligent work from across the church body. I’m excited to see the Lord provide through His body working together!

Please pray about giving toward the building of a permanent church building. Together the Lord will provide.

In all things may Jesus Christ be glorified,

The Elders of Redeemer Bible Church

The month of June is known across America as a month to celebrate LGBTQ and transgender practices. I believe it’s important for you to listen to an inspiring testimony of a woman named Laura that came to salvation during her transgender rebellion against God. It’s a moving and important testimony of redemption that will help us all better share Christ with those who struggle with these areas of sin.

Please click on the link below to listen to her story. Press “play” between the title and her picture to hear the story.

Laura’s testimony

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“Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring
 them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.”
Ephesians 6:4
This coming Sunday is Father’s Day. Leading a family and raising children in this day is a daunting task. The Lord will give strength for the task, but it’s important to refocus on the fundamentals.

Being a father is a God-given authority. The authority of fatherhood follows after the loving and good authority of God the Father toward us. As fathers live under the authority of God the Father, so our children live under our authority. At a minimum, this means parenting should be parent-directed, not child-directed. The spiritual leadership of the father is meant to direct the life and formation of the child. To be a father is not to stand-by while your child does whatever they choose, but with proper godly love, discipline, and education to direct the course of your child’s life. This loving direction, education, discipline, and training is constant when a child is young but should taper off as they enter their teens, and end as they launch into adulthood. When a child enters adulthood the father’s goal is for the child to establish their own home beginning again the fatherly role in the next generation. Your authority as a father hems in your children to guide their path. As a father it is your role to teach your children who God is, what He expects of them, and how they can experience the love of God through the forgiving grace of Jesus Christ.

I would argue that the most important attitude of a father is to love their child. Love is the master virtue of the Christian life and the first fruit of the Holy Spirit. As believers in Jesus Christ, we experience the love of God through the forgiveness of Jesus Christ. We have peace with God through the cross and go from
being enemies of God to being His beloved adopted children. The authority of fatherhood will never be effective, and will instead be hurtful to a child, without authentic love. Dads, you know whether you love your kids or not. Your kids know whether you love them or not. If you view your children as a drag to your finances and free time this indicates a lack of love. If you can’t discipline without anger, there is a lack of love. If you don’t want to spend time with your kids, you don’t love them like God wants you to. I believe every dad struggles with these issues. I know I have.

The answer is always the same when we begin to recognize a lack of Christian love in our lives. We must draw near to the Lord in prayer and Bible study. In prayer you have to earnestly ask the Holy Spirit to work in your heart to bear the fruit of authentic love that you can’t contrive. Confess your sins and failures asking the Holy Spirit to make you the gentle and kind father you know you should be. If you need to ask for your child’s forgiveness, do that as well. If you did not have a loving and gentle father growing up, know that you can learn these ways from your Heavenly Father.

Fathers, I encourage you to see your children like empty vessels that need to be filled up with your love afresh each day. You fill them with words of affirmation and blessing, by making good memories together, through praying for them, listening to them, working with them, doing your best to tell them about Jesus, and most fundamentally – just telling them you love them. This will wear you out. As you pour out, you also must be filled. This filling must come from the living water of Jesus our Lord. Living water that never runs dry. You must spend time with Jesus every day. You must MAKE time for Jesus every day and ask Him to make you into the type of father you could never be on your own.

After loving our children, we must train them. Fathers, you must lead the way in training. Teach them to put the things of the Lord first. Teach them to love their mother and their siblings. Teach them to pray and read the Bible. Teach them to love learning and respect their elders. Teach them respectful manners and practical life skills that are related to their gender. Fathers, teach your boys to be men, and cherish your wife as she teaches your girls to become women. Be patient with your children as they learn but press them always to grow in the talents God has given them.

Next, you must discipline your children. Hebrews 12:5-11 is very clear that God will discipline us in the Christian life to correct our path, because He loves us. Every parent that loves their child will discipline their child. Discipline done with love builds character and turns a child away from sinful, selfish, and irresponsible actions. Discipline teaches a small child that they must live under authority. Discipline uses a small amount of pain brought into their life by a father who loves them, to turn them away from a great amount of pain in later life that will come from those who hate them. I understand that spanking is well out of fashion in this day and that there are important exceptions to children that have been abused, but the Proverbs speak about the need to bring the quick and decisive discipline of a spanking into a child’s life (Proverbs 13:24, 22:15, 23:13-14, 29:15). All discipline must be administered without anger, but proper discipline from a loving father will work to shape the soul and character of a small child.

Fathers, never give up on your children. Never stop in pursuing your children with love. Never stop preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ to your children. Never give up on the faithful discipline of stubborn small children. Never stop praying for your kids and investing in their lives. Pray for their souls until they come to salvation. Knowing that your child authentically believes in Christ as their Savior is infinitely more important than any other life goal. Their soul before God is more important than what college they go to, what sports they play, what job they get, or what level of worldly success they attain. Your children should emphatically know that you care more about their soul than any of these things.

May the Lord help us to be godly fathers,
Pastor Vic

Some basic parenting resources:
Shepherding A Child’s Heart, 2^nd Edition, by Tedd Trip (for small children)
Parenting by The Book: Biblical Wisdom for Raising Your Child, by John Rosemond (for small children)
Age of Opportunity, 2^nd Edition, by Paul David Trip (for teenagers)
Parenting: 14 Gospel Principles That Can Radically Change Your Family, by Paul David Tripp
Focus on the Family: a long-standing trusted ministry with podcast and countless resources