Against 7 Bad B's: Part 2 The Battle Ax of the Heart

The wonder of the Good News which Jesus gave the world:
"No matter what sin you have committed…God loves you. You may be at the very gate of hell itself, but God loves you with an everlasting love. 'God demonstrates His love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.' (Romans 5:8 NKJV).

The Scripture says, 'For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life' John 3:16 NKJV).

It is your part to believe. It is your part to receive. It is for you to make a definite, positive commitment and surrender to the love of God. Nobody else can do it for you…

It is impossible for human, finite minds to understand God completely. That is where faith comes in. By faith I receive His plan for my redemption. I trust Christ as Savior. Will you open your heart to Jesus Christ—right now?" (1951 by Billy Graham. Side Note:I didn't agree with some of Graham's social views in the 1950's, but Graham grew in his understanding of what the love of God meant for social and political situations. And thank God for his witness on integration; he strongly insisted on the equality of all even during the times of Segregation.)

Today I started with the blessed Good News (since so much of modern Evangelical Christianity is now promoting the false bad news of theological determinism and selfish nationalism) and because so much this series of articles deals with what's wrong with the world, specifically us, cussed humankind, especially us men.

If you remember (and especially if you don't;-), last time, we discussed the fixated tendency of religious humans to treat women as things, one bad action of the Seven Bad B's. (I threw in so much hard irony, not only the kitchen sink but all the house's pipes--Steel yourself for another pun. Groan.)

Next we could look in detail at brawn, brains, and belief (again) to see how men use their best--their best mind, best skills, best physical strength, best values to commit the worst acts of war and other injustices. But we been there done that on this blog before,
so
let's just say no to 'just'war and commit to the Lamb's War where Christ's love is the only armament (the 'arms' of hugging), the "mouthed-sword" of the Good News the only weapon, the battle ax of the heart the only destroying agent (that of sin, selfishness, injustice and war).*

So let's move onto Boasting (to be continued)

*Like Quakers of old in the government in Pennsylvania, I would separate the atrocity of war (what country has ever gone to war that didn't think its own cause was 'just'?)
from policing. Good police officers (which on occasion include soldiers who are assigned to peacekeeping, not invasion killing)focus on protecting not attacking. For instance, I knew an officer who worked in one of the major cities of the United States who in many years of law enforcement only needed to draw his gun several times! In most criminal situations, he used commanding authority, persuasion, or non-lethal force.

In the Light,

Daniel Wilcox