Our Life and Times : Biblical Reasoning for a Modern Age
BLOGGER · THEOLOGIAN · APOLOGIST
Norman Harold Patterson Jr.
Father’s Day 2020
I am blessed to have two awesome parents.
There's a quote by George Macdonald that I can't find at the moment, but the essence is that painful grief doesn't come after someone dies because we loved too much, it comes because we loved too little. He was saying that we shouldn't withhold love while our loved ones are alive because this will make their passing that much more painful. No, we should not fear grief when we've poured out our love when people are alive. That's the gist of the quote.
I spent the evening last night, having dinner with my mom and dad. I brought my dad some fresh strawberry shortcake for Father's Day. I dropped it off near supper time so they could have it for dessert. As I prepped it for them they invited me to stay for dinner. All they had was a hotdog and hamburger, but I was welcomed to them if I wanted. I didn't want to impose and resisted, finally giving in to their genuine and sincere invitation. I have to admit that I was hoping they would invite me because over the last several years, I have had the honor and privilege of enjoying many a meal with two of my favorite people on the face of the earth. I've taken the time to get to know my parents.
Because they are so kind and giving, they usually spend time asking about me and asking questions about my life. But over the past several years, I've made it a point to get to know them, to take time to listen to their hopes and dreams and sorrows. I've had the honor to hear their heart. I've even heard many stories about their life, things that made me laugh and cry and see my mom and dad in a new glorious light. These times are a taste of heaven for me because I know that as mortal creatures, I won't always have the privilege of spending time with them this side of eternity.
I've determined that I will not regret their passing because I spent too little time loving them to my full capacity. I realized that whatever hurts, past or present, are not worth holding on too. I learned this from them as I've dealt out my fair share of pain through my own selfishness inconsideration while always being recieved with open hearts and open arms by my mom and dad at times when I really didn't deserve it.
I've learned more about being a parent from my mom and dad than from anyone else in the world. I ain't always perfect with my own children and have had times periodically where I've had to apply what I've learned from my parents. But I've learned that relationships aren't always easy but they are worth it.
In the book of Romans, chapter 12, verse 18 the good Book says, "If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all." I take that verse very seriously. I can honestly say that any broken relationship in my life, including my divorce or being estranged from various friends or family, is not perpetuated by me. I try to repair and restore as much as I can, but there are always two in relationships and if the other refuses to reconcile, there is little you can do except put it in the hands of God and let Him work where I cannot.
On this Father's Day, I know there are fathers who are hurting because they see their mistakes and shortcomings. All I can say to them is, it's not too late to ask forgiveness for the things you have done wrong. Do it even if your throat closes up and your chin quivers. I learned this from my own mom and dad as they've both asked my forgiveness for things they regret saying or doing when I was younger. I've done this with my own children. Do what is in your power to do. You are not responsible for their response. They may receive it or not, but God will bless and honor your repentance.
And those of you who grieve Father's Day because your own earthly father brought you unbearable pain and suffering, forgive him. There is no other way. Your dad was or is a broken human being, but he is a human being nonetheless. Free your own heart so that you can be liberated from the burden of hurt, hate, and resentment. I believe our forgiveness releases God's power in the other's life. And then, come to the Father through Jesus and you will know what real fatherhood and true love is all about.
I hope my open and honest reflections have helped someone, but even if they haven't I am glad I can take this time to say happy Father's Day to my dad. Love you pops. And mom, thanks for the hotdog and hamburger. They were delicious.
We find the Dominion Mandate for Bible-believing Christians in Genesis 1:26-28:
Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth."
For Christians, this means that God has given us the responsibility to take dominion over the entire world. We have God's approval and authority to "fill the earth and subdue it." Add to this Christ's call in Matthew 28:19+20 to:
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."
And 2 Corinthians 10:3-6:
For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.
While God called Christians to be separate from the world in holiness, He doesn't give us the option to isolate ourselves from the world physically. As Jesus said:
I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. John 17:14-15
Because of false piety and a lack of understanding of these and other Dominion affirming Biblical texts, Christians far too often vacate the world, leaving an "influence vacuum." As the old saying goes, "nature abhors a vacuum." Because of this, instead of taking Dominion over the arts, sciences, court systems, political offices, universities, and so on, Christians withdraw into isolated communities only to leave the world unoccupied.
As a result, anti-Christ people and philosophies have readily taken over virtually every facet of life. The greatest antithesis to Biblical Christianity has understood and intentionally implemented the Dominion Mandate for their own sinister ends.
The most dangerous of all are those espousing Cultural Marxism. Briefly, Cultural Marxism is an expansion of Classical Marxism, which focuses primarily on the economic philosophy of Karl Marx. Cultural Marxism is much more all-encompassing than Classical Marxism.
Ultimately, Cultural Marxism is about liberating humanity from the moral constraints of Biblical Christianity. The Bible prohibits same-sex intimacy, adultery in all forms, polygamy, bigamy, bestiality, pedophilia, and so on. God created man and woman in His image and commanded them to be fruitful and multiply; the Dominion Mandate!
The method Cultural Marxism employs to propagate its insidious agenda is through applying the Biblical Mandate. The plan has been and continues to be for those who oppose Biblical Christianity to infiltrate and dominate every known sphere of influence. As Voddie Bachem pointed out, their strategy is to take over the "robes" of society; professors, pastors, and judges, for example.
R.J. Rushdoony and the Christian Reconstructionists proposed the same tactic, taking over the "robes" of society. However, instead of a great "Amen" from the rest of the Church, Christian Reconstructionism has been vilified as patriarchal, extreme, and misguided.
In the meantime, Cultural Marxism is dominating the universities, media, churches, courts, arts, etc. They are putting Christians and Christianity to shame by their ardent intentionality to dominate the world for Self.
As the degeneration of our culture continues, so will the hostility toward Biblical Christianity. And just as Marxism tried to destroy Biblical Christianity through the reign of terror in anti-Christ regimes like the Soviet Union and Communist China, modern Marxists will not rest until Biblical Christianity is destroyed.
The good news, however, is the promise of Jesus Christ. He said that the "gates of hell" will not prevail against the Church. (Matthew 16:18) The image Christ was giving was not a Church that was cowering in the corner, battening down the hatches until the storm of hell subsided. Just the opposite. Hell is under attack, and its filthy gates are no match for the power and glory of the Risen Christ and His Bride.
Christians can no longer cower in corners. It is time for us to take up the battle cry and assault Cultural Marxism and any other "high place" (2 Corinthians 10:3-6) that dares to raise itself against the knowledge of God. Our weapons are not of the flesh (Ephesians 6), but they are weapons nonetheless and are worthless if left unused.
It is time for Christians to take back our country, our world for Christ. We must do it according to the means and methods of Jesus Christ and His Kingdom, which means we must take Dominion and occupy all walks of life for the glory of the crown rights of Jesus Christ.
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