Throughout history there have been many heresies that have tried to attach themselves to the church. Some surround the nature of Jesus — denying the deity or humanity of Christ. Some focus on salvation — attempting to add human works as a requirement. All such false teaching is extremely serious, as Paul pointed out to the Galatians. But the false teaching that has been the most costly in terms of human physical life, is centered on the Early Church.

As a child I loved replacing burnt out incandescent light bulbs with new vibrant ones. I was fascinated by the fact that you could shake the dead bulb and hear the filament rattling — a musical confirmation that the bulb was indeed broken and no more light could be extracted from it. Most of all, I loved to see light shining again in a space where once there had been darkness.

In addition to being the central figure of all history, Christ Jesus is also one of the most controversial. Some believe Christ was “a good moral teacher.” According to others, “he was an ideal; an example.” But sadly, few outside or even inside the Church have ever taken the time to listen to what he actually taught! Let’s look at three key moments from the gospels to learn the most vital elements of Jesus’ lessons on money…

When God called Samuel to anoint David as future king he had to correct him because Samuel was looking at the outside appearance. Jesus similarly corrected his disciples about what defiles a person (Matthew 15:10-20) when he said “But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person.”

In the same way, Proverbs teaches us to look at the heart on economic issues.

We’re in the midst of a hot summer, and last evening my seven-year-old son came into dinner drenched from head to foot. I was surprised and asked him, “How did you get all wet?” Again to my surprise he replied, “I didn’t think I would get wet, I went under the sprinkler.”

Maps show us the best way to get to where we want to go. They show us potential dangers to avoid. And without maps we might get terribly lost or delayed. This is also what God’s Word does for our life. It guides us to where we want to go. It shows us the best way to get there. It cautions us on dangers to avoid.

Only one generation ago, before going on a long journey, it was important to first study a printed map to plan a route, get an idea of the distance and time required for the trip, and plan out any additional stops along the way… Maps show us the best way to get to where we want to go. They show us potential dangers to avoid. And without maps we might get terribly lost or delayed.

Seeds are incredible. They are small and may not appear at first to have any special value, but their potential is incalculable. Kept dry on the shelf, they will never grow or increase. They will never become what they were meant to be. They will never produce fruit. Why not? Because seeds, like everything else, require the proper conditions and nourishment to grow. It is the same way with economics…

Imagine the wisest person you can think of, writing in the wisest book of all time, about an ideal person. What do you think they would say about them? Perhaps the author would focus on their bravery in battle, or their skill in the arts, or their brilliant intellect, or their physical beauty, or their acts of religious piety or charity?

God gave us the Ten Commandments as a standard by which to live. At that time in history, man was doing what was right in his own eyes. Today, most of our laws as well as those of other nations are based on these commandments whether the government leaders admit it or not. Before going any further, take a brief look at the ten simple rules God put into place for us and for the good of society in Exodus 20:1-17.

When you’re not feeling well, there are some good first steps to take. One of them is to reach for a thermometer, to check your temperature. Knowing your body’s internal temperature can be a good indicator of whether or not you are fighting a disease. Too high a temperature means you should probably seek medical attention or some medicinal treatment.

But what if you were sick and the only treatment you sought was a thermometer? What if you confused the indicator for the cure?

An individual’s political stance is the outgrowth of one’s deepest philosophical beliefs. This is a big part of why there is such political polarization in our country today, and why it is often so difficult to find common ground between different political ideologies. Much of the tension can be traced back to two distinctly different philosophies: the Secular view of government’s role is distinctly different from the Bible’s view of government’s role.

In America today, the greatest ongoing injustices and inequities we currently face stem primarily from unbiblical ideas and policies that have been allowed to take root in our land. These policies have done great damage and brought incalculable pain, especially to the weakest of society.

When the righteous increase, the people rejoice, but when the wicked rule, the people groan. (Proverbs 29:2)

God’s Word shows us the best way to live. Believers are supposed to live righteous lives marked by virtue. We are supposed to honor and obey the government. But when the wicked rule, they harm the people by enacting unjust laws and unbiblical policies. So Scripture also authorizes civil disobedience, that is, obeying God’s law when doing so requires disobeying human edicts. But biblical civil disobedience doesn’t mean we can just do whatever we want, and it doesn’t mean we can disobey any law we don’t like. So what should we do when the government becomes unjust? And what should our civil disobedience look like?

Nebuchadnezzar was king of the whole known world. His empire was vast, his word was law, and his temper was infamous. That’s why the actions of the three young Hebrew men were so remarkable. Throughout their service to the king they had shown courtesy and obedience, but now they refused him to his face. Stubbornly, defiantly, they disobeyed his command. What would cause these otherwise respectful men to act this way? Aren’t God-fearing people supposed to obey the government?

He could have had anything. All he had to do was ask. It would be his.

Few people have ever had such an opportunity. No conditions. No expectations. No restraints.

“What do you want? Ask, and I will give it to you!”

It was a breath-taking generosity.

The charges of racism levied against the United States of America as a whole are very grave. We have experienced and chronicled countless tales of racially-charged police brutality, mass incarceration, and the tragic murder of young Blacks, particularly men.

Ethnic minorities endure continual unwarranted suspicion, false accusations, and unprovoked assaults. Slavery, Jim Crow, the Ku Klux Klan, purposeful disenfranchisement, lynching, and redlining have brought incalculable pain.

Does the Bible deal with human/earthly government? 

Yes. God instituted human government in the beginning with Adam. In Genesis, God created the world and established Adam as the head of the world government at that time.

God gave Adam dominion over all the animals, plants and every living thing.

America was not handed freedom as a gift. Liberty was not bartered at a treaty table. This country was not bequeathed independence by a benevolent tyrant. America fought for freedom.

Our nation was born in the crucible of war. Independence was declared and liberty secured because courageous men and women chose to risk a “leap in the dark” over the inevitable dismal prospect of subjugation.

In his book, Rules of Engagement, Chad Hennings relates a story about how he and his fellow A-10 pilots coped with an inflight emergency.

During the Gulf War, Hennings and his wingmen were a flight of four A-10’s traveling from Bentwater/Woodbridge in the U.K. to Incirlik, Turkey. Over the Mediterranean Sea, Hennings’ A-10 began to lose oil pressure, forcing him to shut down one engine…