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Francis Schaeffer on Worldview Cohesion.

May be an image of 1 person and text that says "THE BASIC PROBLEM FOR CHRISTIANS imgilp.com mote IS THEY SEE THINGS IN PIECES AND NOT TOTALS"

Since this meme has been making the rounds, I thought it would be good to include the entire quote. When he says, “the last eighty years or so,” he is speaking in 1981. I’m afraid many Christians have not yet grasped the idea that challenges we face are the result of a worldview divide.
“The basic problem of the Christians in this country in the last eighty years or so, in regard to society and in regard to government, is that they have seen things in bits and pieces instead of totals.
They have very gradually become disturbed over permissiveness, pornography, the public schools, the breakdown of the family, and finally abortion. But they have not seen this as a totality—each thing being a part, a symptom, of a much larger problem. They have failed to see that all of this has come about due to a shift in world view—that is, through a fundamental change in the overall way people think and view the world and life as a whole.
This shift has been away from a world view that was at least vaguely Christian in people’s memory (even if they were not individually Christian) toward something completely different—toward a world view based upon the idea that the final reality is impersonal matter or energy shaped into its present form by impersonal chance. They have not seen that this world view has taken the place of the one that had previously dominated Northern European culture, including the United States, which was at least Christian in memory, even if the individuals were not individually Christian.
These two world views stand as totals in complete antithesis to each other in content and also in their natural results—including sociological and governmental results, and specifically including law.
It is not that these two world views are different only in how they understand the nature of reality and existence. They also inevitably produce totally different results. The operative word here is inevitably. It is not just that they happen to bring forth different results, but it is absolutely inevitable that they will bring forth different results.
“A Christian Manifesto” in Francis A. Schaeffer, The Complete Works of Francis A. Schaeffer: A Christian Worldview, vol. 5 (Westchester, IL: Crossway Books, 1982), 423–424.
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A Post from NOAB (none of anyone’s business).

Not trying to be rude, but I am posting from an undisclosed location. I really don’t know how many there are here, or how many we are allowed, indoors or out.

I am rejoicing that the internet censorship bill has been defeated, Bill C-10, that would have an immediate and terrible effect on free speech, Even the Ontario Premier’s Doug Ford’s “online worship is permitted” could be rescinded. (By the way, I seem to be the only blogger that is still stunned by the notion that online worship needed His Worship’s permission? That statement in itself was huge, and not in a good way. it was extremely telling.)

The cancellation of C-10 is cause of rejoicing, but it must be kept in mind that there are people, with powers of legislation, who thought it was a good idea in the first place! It is very likely that the same people will survive the next election, perhaps with a majority, and “. . . this is only the beginning of what they will do. And nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them.” Genesis 11:6.

There are many Christians who are still arguing that lockdowns, mask mandates, vaccine quotas for assemblies, etc., are not persecution because churches are not singled out.This is false on the face of it, because mosques were allowed to meet with large numbers during Ramadan, and the vigil for a Muslim family saw all restrictions lifted for 10,000 people. There are many hypocrisies in government regulations, and the church is uniquely restricted by all of them.

But leaving that aside, Bill C-6, an anti-conversion therapy bill will pass, so it will be illegal to counsel or pray for a person of same-sex attraction or transgenderism.

Bill C-36 is an anti-hate speech law that is based on emotions. If someone doesn’t like a criticism of their sexual morality (the LGBTQ+ community) or of their religion (Islam), the law can be employed to force the speaker or writer to stop. There will be fines and possible imprisonment.

Slander of the Christian faith will be permitted, because the Christian faith is true and the father of lies (Satan) hates it. There will be no protection for Biblical Christianity in law.

The question remains for Christians, especially those who argued that churches should obey the government in closing, and refusing to participate in the Lord’s Supper (gathered), is, “How will we continue as Christians? What laws must we break? How will we obey Romans 13 and God?”

Our unrighteous submission to governing authorities (and there is a righteous submission) has set a precedent for further defeat.

Let’s resolve today, that Christ is Lord of the church, that the State has its legitimate role and authority, and its authority is not over Christ’s church.

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Updated: You still can’t get there from here

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Scripture calls some things abominations. How can we call these things good?

Evangelicals fall over themselves trying to apologize to the LGBTQ+++ moevement for its homophobia, transphobia, and other sins. One question is outstanding (or should be): “What does God say about this whole business? Add to this question, “What does God have to say about the sexual revolution, and it’s handmaid, abortion?” This little article is not for those beholden to the hermeneutical disaster that attempts to separate the God of the Old Testament from Jesus, and Jesus from Paul. Scripture must be understood as a total entity. The Bible is a unity. While it interprets itself through its various genres and historical moments, it is not contradictory, unless one really, really, wants it to be. If you’ve been told that the Bible is unclear on these matters you have been misled. But the inspiration, nature, and authority of Scripture will have to wait for another article.

So what is an abomination anyway?

A quick word search will show that the word occurs much less frequently one might think (118 times in 112 verses). The Hebrew term תּוֹעֵבָה, (toevah) is usually translated “abomination” or “abominable image” (as in idolatry). Specifically, it is used in these ways:

Homosexuality, Idolatry, bestiality, (Leviticus 18:22-26)

Idolatry (Deuteronomy 7:25; 27:15; Isaiah 44:18-20; Jeremiah 32:35

Occult practises (Deuteronomy 18:9-14)

Transgenderism (Deuteronomy 22:5)

Cult prostitution (Deuteronomy 23:18)

False divorce (Deuteronomy 24:4)—a form of wife swapping

False measurements meant to deceive (Deuteronomy 25:16)

Practising abominable actions provokes God’s wrath (Deuteronomy 32:16); forgetting God and sacrificing to demons.

Abominations are the cause of God’s judgement: a complete list can be found here.

The Problem for Allies

Here is the problem for those who wish to be more accepting, those who consider themselves allies with the LGBTQ+ movement: it remains an abomination. This has not changed. For the Christian to think otherwise, he must see an abomination as a good thing; that is, an abomination must somehow become good.

The problem is exacerbated because continuing in sexual immorality is disqualifying for salvation (1 Corinthians 5). Even approval of sin is deadly to the soul (Romans 1:32).

But Biblical revelation is progressive. This means that in Scripture God reveals His will and plan through time. Are there any examples of an abomination which are later to accepted as good? Can we show an example where an abomination was later called a positive good? Food laws come to mind. Wasn’t bacon once considered unclean? But note that forbidden foods are called unclean, טָמֵא (pronounced tame), not abominations. There is one place, Deuteronomy 14:3, that forbids the eating of an abomination and then lists unclean foods. Are we to conclude from this single example that, because Jesus made all foods clean (Mark 7:14-23 and Acts 10:9-16), He therefore turned an abomination into a good?

No, because the context (Deuteronomy 14:3) indicates that in this particular instance, eating is connected to pagan mourning rituals. These ceremonies were idolatrous and occult practises. These are abominations, and eating that food was ritually connected to them. Here is not a list of non-kosher foods to be avoided at the supermarket, but a warning against idolatry.

The important difference between unclean foods and abominable actions is that the former is ritual uncleanliness that has passed away in the New Covenant, and the latter is a moral and spiritual category that still stands. An abomination is an affront to the holiness of God. There is no reason from anywhere else in Scripture that might lead us to believe otherwise.

The New Testament confirms the Old Testament view in that abomination (βδελυσσομαι, bdelussomai) both speaks of idolatry and sexual immorality—See Matthew 24:15 and Revelation 17:4-5.

How Can we say, “It is good”?

When we speak of human sexuality, it must be remembered that creation is good, and after man and woman are created God says “it was very good” (Genesis 1:31). Male and Female are realities rooted in creation. Furthermore, in Genesis 2:18 we read that “it is not good for the man to be alone.” God made a helper for the man, which was a woman; not another man, not an animal, not a plant. This is significant because in God’s eyes man and woman are made for each other, and this excludes homosexuality and lesbianism at the level of creational. Transgenderism denies the established reality of what a man is and what a woman is. It is a creational norm. This fact is evident in the very strong language of abomination. This then is God’s judgement upon against defying His good creation.

In order to say “it is good” with respect to whatever is advance by the sexual revolution and the LGBTQ+ movement, all else God has said about these things must be denied. If these abominations are good we must see that in Scripture. This is clearly not what we find.

Scripture must be the standard of judgement.