Dobson About Culture: "We Have Lost Many Battles"
Part 1
Part 2
What do you all think about the interview?
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Kara Kittle on 19 Apr 2009 at 9:52 pm #
Yes, when you have confessing and professing Christians who walk contrary to the commandments of God, and saying things like “I did nothing wrong, God is keeping me” how can we win?
The Bible says “Awake to righteousness and sin not”. We are losing because we allowed the defeat. Theology will not save anyone, the blood of Jesus does. And we make our theologies defunct when we allow ourselves to follow the influence of the secular, of which we were called out of.
“Come out from among them and be ye separate”. That is plain. We are losing because we allowed it. I know I am going to get a bunch of people upset again but if God keeps us, puts His spirit in us, why are we contrary?
The characteristics of God we are supposed to be bearing, and if we are not then we failed. God does not fail but we do. And we have by denying we must also walk the way expected of us as Christians. And why are we losing a culture war of a society we are supposed to influence? We left it up to God when we were supposed to be doing what God told us to do.
Pray for the king, pray for the nation, pray for the peace of Israel, pray for society. And pray for Christians all over the world who are being persecuted.
There is something telling about a called out people who are secular…and by being so profane the holy calling. A well does not issue forth sweet and bitter water, a tree does not bear good and corrupt fruit. This is not a charge against one theology, it is at the whole church, we failed. We look like the secular, we talk like the secular, we are entertained by the secular and then wonder why the spiritual is not making a difference.
James 1
22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.
23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror
24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.
25 But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.
Many “elect” are sitting in bars getting drunk, committing adultery, abusing their spouses and children, buying pornography, selling themselves and doing all manner of things while believing themselves to be holy because someone told them they are elect and God is keeping them. Many “elect” tossed integrity out of the window to be politically correct. When we neglect the basic duties commanded in the Bible we have failed. Not God, us.
Romans 13
11And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.
12The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
13Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.
14But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.
If God permits me to wake up tomorrow another day on this earth, I know my Redeemer lives. But I must awake and do the work He has called me to do. We can’t spend our lives in bed waiting for God. God is present, and presently speaking even in the midst of this wicked and adulterous generation. We must listen, and then do.
Kara Kittle on 19 Apr 2009 at 10:17 pm #
I know people will respond with “what about grace”. Right now the whole world is under the grace of God, if we were not the planet would be destroyed. We are under God’s mercy, but unfortunately not under the mercy of man. God gives grace, yes, but He also gives commandments…precept upon precept, line upon line.
Bryan Cross on 20 Apr 2009 at 12:54 am #
Michael,
I think there are fundamental problems with the way Dobson has been fighting the culture war. One has to do with his position on contraception and masturbation. He separates the procreative and unitive functions of the marital act, and then tries to suppress the social and moral implications of that separation. Underlying the abortion problem is the contraceptive mentality. Underlying the collapse of marriage is the separation of the procreative and unitive functions of the marital act. Dobon’s losing because he doesn’t see how deep the problem goes. Fundamentalism combined with psychology is entirely inadequate. What he needs is theology of the body. Also, what is needed is a deep commitment to reconciling Protestants and Catholics. In order to stand together against those who are advancing the culture of death, we need to be as united as possible. It is absolutely vital that we do so, in my opinion, as soon as possible. By the time persecution is in full force, it will be too late to do anything politically to oppose it. Right now many Christians are feeling that fighting the culture war was a bad idea in the first place. They are just bailing out on it, especially young people. It is essential that we continue to work, both in winning minds and hearts, and at the political level. But we have to preserve our young people. We’re losing many of them because we are not adequately guarding our home and communities from the culture of death and the philosophy of our present world. It comes into our homes through the TV, radio, internet, etc. We have to recognize that we are basically living in Sodom. We end up like the frog in the hot water, unaware how much we have been affected, how much we look just like the world.
If we get our own house in order, we can shake the world.
In the peace of Christ,
- Bryan
Zach on 20 Apr 2009 at 1:50 am #
It would seem to me that when we are faithful to God and live our lives to honor Him in word, thought, and deed, we have won. Christ is our victory and we must rely on that. I would also exhaust that even more and say that the war has already been won! Christ’s death on the cross and resurrection was sufficient. Sure there is still much to be done still, concerning prophecy and the future, but do we or do we not have victory over death?
We must also remember that these non-believers are prisoners of war. That we do not wage against them but against sin. I think Mr.Dobson’s motives are right, but he has become a bit bitter towards the whole thing. Is it our place to look at the enemies of God as our enemies? Maybe. Should we love them? Deffinately. For while we were still in our trespasses Christ died for us, so let us be in grace and discernment. We must rejoice in the Lord always. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let our requests be made known to God. His peace, surpassing any peace ever known, will be upon us.
Chad Winters on 20 Apr 2009 at 8:11 am #
The culture war as attempted by Dobson tried to make everyone live like they were Christians. This is bound to fail. We can’t force people onto the narrow path. All we can do is live like Christian pilgrims in a foreign land and proclaim the Gospel. The bible uses this metaphor frequently.
If we conform to Christ and not the surrounding culture, then we will have a strong, attractive witness. If God adds enough people to the rolls of the elect we may even have a significant effect on the laws of the land, but he very well may keep the church a minority (a remnant) and we may live in a land that is intolerant of our morals and beliefs.
This is not the first time Christians have had to live this way and we should not act so surprised and throw a fit when non-believers don’t believe as we do.
Seth R. on 20 Apr 2009 at 9:37 am #
Funny thing about Dobson’s talk of the Chrianity of the “Founding Fathers” – I doubt the God worshiped by Thomas Jefferson would be acknowledged by most of Mr. Dobson’s supporters.
John on 20 Apr 2009 at 11:53 pm #
If he happened to be alive today do you think Jesus would appear on TV with Hannity or any of the other benighted ghouls that infest Fox “news” altogether?
deborah donner on 21 Apr 2009 at 7:51 am #
i have been listening to Doctor Dobson for many years, more so when my children were babies and children. i am thankful for his ministry and the work he has done for families. maybe he has stepped on many toes over the years, but i believe he has a deep concern for children, both born and unborn.
he is a voice out there, for children, for the weak, for the elderly.
what does the Bible say about ‘loving justice, having mercy…’?
James on 21 Apr 2009 at 7:52 pm #
The problem Dr. Dobson has is the same one modern Christianity has. We have taken up causes that are not central to Christianity. Abortion and the like are definitely important issues but we shouldn’t mix politics and Christianity so closely as to see them seamlessly melded together like we do.
Ed Kratz on 22 Apr 2009 at 11:18 am #
Seems to me the real issue is as simple as our political system. With only two parties really having any chance of winning the presidential elections, or really any major position in our government we run into situations.
Many Christians are republicans for their moral beliefs, abortion, gay marriage, etc. and many Christians are democrats for their beliefs in economic equality and better care for the less fortunate.
This is the problem, when we cast our vote either way we are making statements that many of us would not agree with, but we have to make a decision and be lumped together based on that vote.
Many people I have talked to voted for Obama, not for his stand on abortion, or stem-cell research, but because they felt the republicans let the big banks and investment companies destroy our economy, others felt strongly about the Iraq war and how that was handled.
Let’s be honest, we vote based on whatever is most important to us at the time of the election, or based on what we have always done. That doesn’t mean most of the country are not Christians, or are not concerned with morality, it just means we have decided that the candidate we vote for is on the side of the major issue we are hot on.
Let’s not forget that many people voted for Obama because he was black and they felt they would finally get a fair shake in this ‘land of oppression’. It will be some time before they realize he’s not going to help them any more than other presidents have, and maybe even less.
Dobson is good and I like Focus on The Family, but I agree with others who have posted that forcing Christian morals on non-believers doesn’t work, and it will only serve to cause more animosity toward us. Let’s be honest, we are much better at condemning a ’sinner’ who gets an abortion than we are showing love to them, thank God that He is more gracious with our failings.