Lie Pinocchio Lie

The more lies Pinoccio told the more he became an “ass” (i.e. Donkey). It was true for Disney’s Pinoccio and it remains true today. The more you lie the more you are likened to an asinine dumb animal.
I was told recently by a retired civil magistrate that the only way to get elected is to lie. That statement was astonishing for a number of reasons beyond the obvious. 

Obviously, lying is forbidden by the Law of God and it is ultimately rewarded with eternal condemnation.

Revelation 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

However, what was even more astounding, beside the obvious, was that this statement was told to me by a church-goer  who knows full well that I stand in God’s Pulpit every Lord’s Day declaring the Law-Word of God! Moreover, by proclaiming His Word, I am declaring the Incarnate Word Who is Himself the TRUTH.

From statements like this a number of things may be deduced.

1. The individual is an idiot. While this is not true of this example, one has to consider why in the world someone of seeming integrity would confess to such an outrageous strategy, especially since elected officials are to be “ministers of God for good”?

2. The individual doesn’t care about people. This is more likely the case. To willfully lie, bold-faced and shamelessly to people just to get elected into public office shows a disdain for the very people the elected official is to serve.

3. The individual lacks a moral conscience. Calculated lying shows that there is a gross lack of ethical substance. The moral compass is broken, and unrestrained pragmatism rules the mind and the spirit.

4. The individual has been in political office too long. All too often a candidate may begin in earnest, but lacking a principled ideology of righteousness falls prey to the habit of telling half truths and lies once he or she is in the office for too long of a time. This is especially true for those politicians that wield power. According to communications and deception expert,  Janine Driver, the greater the power the easier it is to lie without hesitation or infringement on the conscience.

5. The individual thinks that they can orchestrate events by lying.  Lying men want to be like God. They want to control the outcome of events and think that they can do so if they craft stories to fit their agenda. These liars seek to bring about their desired end through deceit.

Jeremiah warns that all liars will eventually be shown for what they are; fools. Even the very best of liars, Jeremiah says will be broken. In fact the Hebrew word signifies that they will be 'violently broken' for the many lies they have told.

Jeremiah 50:36 A sword is upon the liars; and they shall dote (lit. become foolish): a sword is upon her mighty men; and they shall be dismayed (Lit. violently broken).

The Remedy

The only solution for lying is Faith from the wellspring of God’s Grace via the New Birth. One needs only to trust God in order to tell the truth. Truth telling is a fundamental characteristic of the sincere Christian. Truth always triumphs over lies and the 'Truth Tellers' will have dominion. 

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think (Lit. Reckon with) on these things.

Leadership and Frustration

Biblical leadership mandates unwavering faith in God’s perfect orchestration of all events. When this concept is embraced and factored into all aspects of life, the emotion of frustration is mitigated exponentially. All emotion is based on how we think and process information and events.  Thinking properly results in responding properly.

According to Dr. Frankly E. Payne emotions result from the “disturbance of the mind”. It is the result of the minds agitation to events or circumstances.

Dr. Payne states,
 

“My definition of an emotion then is the momentary (acute) and ongoing (chronic) disturbances within the mind (soul and spirit) caused by the discrepancy between perceived reality and one’s desires.” (1)

What this means is that whenever an individual interprets, or perceives, any given situation wrongly, a wrong emotional response results. This is why it is so vital for Christians to view and analyze all aspects of life through the lens of Faith. Leaders must be focuses on the task at hand. They cannot be of a “double mind” which exists somewhere between worry and trust. Leaders must be resolute, steadfast and targeted without the emotion of worry or (and especially) frustration. Frustration produces the inability to act with precision and therefore is an enemy of Godly productivity. 

Yet, frustration is a real problem especially to those who desire to see righteousness in the land by the honoring of God and His law. Frustration becomes especially debilitating when nothing seems to be getting accomplished to this end. To deal with this, the Biblical leader, understanding and embracing the times and the seasons he finds himself in, which are providentially orchestrated by God, does more than simply seek opportunity.

The Biblical Leader creates opportunity by a proactive response to the world’s issues surrounding him. The Biblical leader takes charge and injects himself into the societal fray. He doesn’t wait for change, he rather initiates change. This proactive posture frustrates frustration and establishes a concrete direction for the Glory of God.   

Leadership requires the eradication of all frustration. This is accomplished by the exercise of faith and an unmovable confidence that the Lord is orchestrating all things for the good of His people and the Glorification of His advancing Kingdom. 

(1) Dr. Frankly E. Payne, "God Confronts Culture...An Almost Complete Biblical and Christian Worldview" Available from New Geneva http://www.sagepayments.net/eftcart/products.asp

Authenticity

With all the “Christian Chameleons” flooding the religious landscape it is sometimes very difficult to discern who’s who. One of the primary reasons for Christianity getting a bad name is a direct result of those counterfeits that are actually hypocrites and really haven’t a clue as to what Biblical Christianity is.

If I have heard it once, I have heard it a thousand times from well-meaning people, that they see one type of behavior on the Lord’s Day and a completely opposite behavior every other day. More than a discouragement to people wanting to find a sincere fellowship of believers it is a disgrace to the Honor and Name of the Christ of Christianity. And we wonder why Christianity is so often despised – and not for the right reasons.

Authentic Christianity

 

Authentic Christians are consistent in their behavior. They are not behavioral extremists. Rather they are sober -minded and sober in all their actions. Authentic Christians are the same no matter where they are, or what company or situation they find themselves in.  Christian authenticity is void of any schizophrenia whatsoever.

Be Authentic

Now since Christian authenticity can only come from Divine intervention it should be easy to distinguish the true from the false and the sincere from the hypocrite. Just look for a consistency in word,  life and motivation. The true believer has both his motives and his actions focused God-ward and his actions are executed in an even keeled fashion.

Authenticity Gives Rise to Influence

 

Being authentic and acting consistently is the key to establishing and maturing relationships. No one wants to engage with a sociopath or someone that may fly off the handle at any time. The Christian community needs to re-establish itself as an intellectual and trustworthy entity, but with all the hypocrites muddying up the mix this is a daunting task that requires patience and spiritual fortitude.

However, once a relationship is built, as long as it is built upon authentic and

consistent Christian principles, Christendom will advance. Being honest and authentic allows you to relate to others without a mask and without any façade. Being authentic takes less energy because you are simply being yourself. (As long as being yourself reflects the Spirit of God in you, of course)

Only then can you begin to share your insight on the issues that are plaguing the culture. Only then will you be set free to innovate and initiate real change since you are now focusing your energy on advancing the Kingdom of Christ rather than trying to pull the wool over someone’s eyes by not being authentic.

As it has been often said, “In business as in life, If you don’t speak the language, don’t fake the accent”  …be real…be authentic.

The Family Sphere

The Family sphere of authority is perhaps the most important. Since the family unit is the foundation and structuring paradigm for all civilization it needs to be patterned after the Word of God if it is to continue as such. Once the foundation of the family is destroyed the civilization and its stability unravels. This is why a Biblically strong family is so necessary.

  

 Subordination of the Family

Whenever the family is subordinated to submit to any other sphere it loses its validity and its potency as a ‘cultural determinator’. This is not to imply that the family has any legitimacy to subordinate any of the other spheres either. Each sphere must function within the Divine boundaries God has decreed for it. To go outside those bounds is to encroach upon another sphere. While there are areas where each sphere shares in mutual responsibilities, no one sphere is to go beyond that point. 

Today both church and state seeks to over step their bounds. Many churches have taken it upon themselves to dictate to the families whatsoever they desire. Like the Pharisees’ of Jesus’ day the ‘tradition of men’ have taken front stage above the limitations and commandments of Scripture in regard to the church and its ministration to the family. Whenever this happens ecclesiastical tyranny results and the family suffers. Church leaders are to be educators and ministering servants not tyrannical lords over the family. The father is to be acknowledged and honored as the legitimate head of each household. It is not the in the pastor’s sphere authority to usurp the father unless there is blatant sin.

The state is no better than the church when it comes to tyranny. In fact it is much worse because it has the power of taxation and the sword. Whenever the state seeks to dictate to the family how it educates their children, nourishes them, or what type of  healthcare the family finds most beneficial the state becomes tyrannical. It has subordinated the Divine sphere authority of the family.

Subordination of the Church 

The state is also guilty of seeking to subordinate the church by requiring tax exemptions rather than leaving them alone as a tax immune entity. The issue of church incorporation is also a move to register the church as a creation of the state making it a ‘corpus Statist’ and not a “corpus Christi”.
Dictating theological truths, such as re-defining marriage through legislation, is also a move to subordinate the church by forcing it to embrace heretical doctrines. This particular attack is also an assault upon the family as well. 

Subordination of the State

This is not so much of a problem today as it once was during the Middle ages where the church sought to rule all of society as a civil entity. Yet, in some regards it may exist, if not only in theory. 

While the church should never seek to establish an Ecclessiocracy, it certainly should labor to bring the state into conformity with Scripture so that it would rule by the Word of God as a Christ-ocracy.