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A Brief History of Prisons and Their Failure
On a recent episode of The Briefing, Al Mohler discussed New York’s plan to spend $9 billion on building new prisons. Mohler included a brief discussion of the history of prisons which inspired me to do a little more research on the issue. Throughout most of human history, prisons were meant to be a temporary arrangement. Prisons in the ancient world were a place where a suspect was to be held while waiting for his case to be heard. For example, Leviticus 24:10-12 mentions the imprisonment of an individual until the verdict had been reached, and the judgment was then administered (cf. Num 15:32-36). Similarly, in ancient Mesopotamian practice, a…
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A Biblical View of Gender and Why it Matters
LGBT and gender issues continue to be on the cultural forefront. Each day the headlines bring us arguments for gender-neutral bathrooms, news about transgender athletes, or a doctor who loses his job because he holds to a biblical view of gender. The biblical view of gender is antiquated according to some, labeled as outdated, non-essential, and a relic of a bygone patriarchal era. In a secular worldview, gender has no value and the differences must be minimized. Despite obvious physical differences between men and women, these distinctions are minimized or ignored. According to the secular worldview, if someone wants to behave with masculine or feminine gender characteristics that is their…
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What is Racism According to the Bible?
Accusations of racism and racist behavior are commonplace in the news today. Many view racism as on the rise in America. Poll data from Gallup indicates that at least some Americans view race relations between whites and blacks at a current low point over a 20 year span. Because racism is a subject prevalent in the public eye, we need to discuss what racism actually is (biblically speaking), and how Christians should think about it. Read the Whole Article
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7 Potential Social Media Snares for the Christian
There are many reasons to believe that social media is here to stay. Social media provides an incredible opportunity to connect with family and friends, or to keep an eye on the news, sports, and weather. It is estimated that this year, 2.82 billion people will be involved on social media. Social media is immensely popular among the younger generation, with 16-24 year-olds spending over three hours a day on social media. Read the Whole Article
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Socialism and the Bible
Socialism is becoming popular in the United States, especially among the younger generations. One poll noted that 61% of those between the ages of 18 and 24 thought positively of socialism. Another poll said that 43% of Americans thought some form of socialism would be a good thing for the United States. The popularity of socialism in the United States is due in part to the political popularity of politicians like Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, but it is also clear that many young people embrace socialism without really understanding what socialism is. Read the Whole Article
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Slavery Reparations and the Christian
Slavery reparations are all the rage right now. This week there was a House hearing on reparations, and there were a variety of celebrity testimonies, including Danny Glover and Burgess Owens arguing for or against reparations. This conversation has really ignited over the last year. When the culture takes aim at a topic, the Christian needs to be equipped to think through the issues from a biblical worldview. On the issue of whether slavery reparations are to be implemented, I think there are a couple issues to consider. Read the Whole Article
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How Can Same Sex Relationships be Wrong?
“How can same sex relationships be wrong if they don’t hurt anyone?” (Of course when I say same sex relationships I am referring to homosexual relationships, not same sex friendships). This is a common objection to the biblical view that same sex relationships are wrong. The argument is often stated, “If two adults want to engage in a consensual same sex relationship, if there is no harm done, why disallow them that freedom?” The implication of this kind of argumentation is that if something is not harmful, it is good (or at least allowable). Read the Whole Article
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All Cultures are Not Equal
There is a growing belief today that all cultures are equal. In other words, no culture can claim moral superiority over another. Although this is a common idea, it has met resistance by some who have demonstrated that, on a pragmatic level, productivity and the standard of living are better in some cultures than others. However, as Christians I think it is important to be in the habit of using Scripture to inform any kind of comparison—including culture. Speaking from a biblical standpoint, there are cultures that are better than others. The cultures which are superior are the cultures which are more closely aligned with God’s standard for living, and…
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God Can Use Evil People to Administer Justice
We often imagine justice being administered by those who hold to God’s righteous standard. In the past, Western culture and society was tremendously influenced by Scripture, and so was influenced by a biblical standard of justice. However, now as the Western culture disintegrates a new kind of morality has arisen—a morality where everyone does what is right in their own eyes. In the world we face today, we need to remind ourselves of the comforting truth that God’s sovereign control is not prohibited from using evil men to administer justice. One of the clearest places this is revealed is in Habakkuk. Read the Whole Article
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Transgender Ideology Has Significant Problems
Transgender advocacy, supporting the belief that anyone can choose any gender, is a popular issue in culture today. Mainstream culture promotes the idea that people should be able to identify gender by feeling and not by biological sex. Further, this same culture teaches that society needs to support those individuals who make the decision to switch genders. However, not only is this completely irrational, but it is entirely unbiblical. Scripture is clear—God created humankind as male and female (Gen 1:27). Thus, it is God who determines the sexes, and therefore determines the gender. Gender cannot be separated from one’s biological sex. To believe otherwise is completely ludicrous. From a Christian…