Jesus did not call us to destroy us but to save us.

Faith, make no mistake, is a spiritual exercise. The scripture reminds us of such when it says,

“For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. (Galatians 5: 5).”

Think with me for a minute. Faith outside of the spirit is not faith at all, but just a strong desire, or a foolish commitment, an act in futility. But it is not faith. Wish all you want to become righteous, but you never will, until you eagerly make a conscious effort to wait through the Spirit for the hope of righteousness.

Righteousness, as such, is initially passive and then only afterwards active. First, we must wait. Righteousness is first infused, before it is then effused. Yes, we are the light of the world, an effusion for all to see; but only after the Holy Spirit has ignited a fire within us, burning out all the dross. That’s the painful part. The waiting part. It is, however, cleansing, and absolutely necessary if He is to fulfill His purpose in us. 

The trajectory of our life always points to Jesus. Our reason for being. The perfect paradigm for our life. Not just any Jesus, however, but the Jesus of Golgotha—the Jesus of the Cross.

We are, therefore, to take up our cross daily, and follow Him. Which is to say, to follow Jesus means sacrifice. It means self-denial. To follow Jesus means that the life that we live is no longer ours, but His. Paul wrote long ago,

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me (Galatians 2:20 NIV).”

This new life—the new birth, if you please—is not something which you attain, or achieve; it is something for which you must wait. Such righteousness is a labor of love, not law. An act of surrender which envelopes you into the arms of Christ the Great Shepherd and Guardian of our souls (I Peter 2:25).

Jesus said,

“My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me (John 10:27).”

Others, those who refused to believe, He declared, were not His sheep. That, my friend is a stern statement; none-the-less, these are His words not mine. Thus, we can say without fear of contradiction, that if one does not follow Christ—that is acknowledge Him, in all His ways, one can never expect Christ to direct their paths (Proverbs 3:6). This is to say that to be a follower of Jesus is not a part-time vocation, but rather a lifetime of commitment.

Commitment can be lonely, especially when you must wait for God to work the miracle of righteousness in your life. This we call the process of sanctification. It is the obedient surrender to God’s promise which says,

“Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it (Isaiah 30:21).”

To wait, will mean a time of deep reflection, of self-examination. For most it will be an agonizing silence of becoming—thus, we must take up our cross and follow Him daily (Luke 23:23) since such transformation does not take place in a day, or a week, but over a lifetime. It is a daily walk. Waiting doesn’t necessarily mean that we sit still. One can walk and wait as well. It does, however, mean that we are committed to a life of sacrifice, as He was, also.

It’s a tough commitment; yet, Jesus did not call us to destroy us but to save us. May God give us the patience and the perseverance to wait, even while we walk. Tortuous paths may lie before us; yet, there is no turning back, for He has said, “This is the way, walk in it.”

In all my years of walking and waiting, I have never met a solitary saint—all have been actively involved, busy doing God’s work, while they wait. So, to become like Christ is not an invitation to join a monastic convent to hole up somewhere until righteousness comes. Righteousness has already come. Our task is to invite the fulness of Christ into our lives, and acknowledge Him in all our ways, and He will make our paths straight (Proverbs 3:6). That is to say, we will walk where He walks, talk as He talks, suffer as He suffered, and in general be Christlike. This is so important because the Scripture does say, “Without holiness, no man shall see God (Hebrews 12:14).”

We must never forget that as believers, who have been born from on high, that we are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness, and redemption (1 Corinthians 1:30). Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need (Hebrews 4:16 NKJV).

So, now, we may, therefore,

“Arise, shine; for our light has come, [for] the glory of the LORD has risen upon us (Isaiah 60:1).”

Once again be blessed; better yet, bless others,

JimR/-

God doesn't have a "B" plan . . .

Nothing like having a good "B-Plan" if things don't go as expected. However, if you, I or anyone else is looking for God's "B-Plan" forget it! He doesn't have one. Never did; never will. He has always had one central purpose for each one of us: That is, to form us into the image of Christ (Romans 8:28-29).

Try to substitute another plan from your own ingenuity, and at best we are going to mess up what God has planned for us all along. This is to say that even if God does not always get His own way with us, He never gives up. He simply doesn’t. This is where free will comes in. We will get sidetracked from time to time. He knows that, and will put up with it, but He remains focused and determined. He wants us to be the person for which we were created. Always has; always will.

What a disappointment it is to watch some of us blunder through life with no purpose in mind, not realizing that God has had one for each of us all along. How sad it is to hear someone sigh: “I am so bored. Wish I had something exciting to do.” Truth is, we have plenty to do. God’s work is never finished—that is, at least down here. So, instead of trying to work ourselves out of the doldrums by constantly taking up our time with some frivolous hobby, or incessant stream of music blasting our eardrums into shreds, why not concentrate on turning ourselves into the man or woman that God wants us to be?

What’s that? you say. Need you or I, or anyone else ask? The answer was settled long ago at a place we call Calvary. But then, we only get there by offering ourselves as living sacrifices—like He did, so many years ago. Yes, Calvary, too, is meant for us. Not just the sacrifices He made, but those that we must make also. We, too, must take up our crosses daily, and follow Him ((Matthew 16:24; Mark 8:34; Luke 9:23), even if it means the greatest of all sacrifices—that is to lay down our lives for Him, as He did for us.

So, we must stop looking for a “B-Plan,” there is none! God is never satisfied with any less than the best. Why should we be? The truth is, we can’t.

Nothing like having a good "B-Plan" if things don't go as expected. However, if you, I or anyone else is looking for God's "B-Plan" forget it! He doesn't have one. Never did; never will. He has always had one central purpose for each one of us: That is, to form us into the image of Christ (Romans 8:28-29).

Try to substitute another plan from your own ingenuity, and at best we are going to mess up what God has planned for us all along. This is to say that even if God does not always get His own way with us, He never gives up. He simply doesn’t. This is where free will comes in. We will get sidetracked from time to time. He knows that, and will put up with it, but He remains focused and determined. He wants us to be the person for which we were created. Always has; always will.

What a disappointment it is to watch some of us blunder through life with no purpose in mind, not realizing that God has had one for each of us all along. How sad it is to hear someone sigh: “I am so bored. Wish I had something exciting to do.” Truth is, we have plenty to do. God’s work is never finished—that is, at least down here. So, instead of trying to work ourselves out of the doldrums by constantly taking up our time with some frivolous hobby, or incessant stream of music blasting our eardrums into shreds, why not concentrate on turning ourselves into the man or woman that God wants us to be?

What’s that? you say. Need you or I, or anyone else ask? The answer was settled long ago at a place we call Calvary. But then, we only get there by offering ourselves as living sacrifices—like He did, so many years ago. Yes, Calvary, too, is meant for us. Not just the sacrifices He made, but those that we must make also. We, too, must take up our crosses daily, and follow Him ((Matthew 16:24; Mark 8:34; Luke 9:23), even if it means the greatest of all sacrifices—that is to lay down our lives for Him, as He did for us.

So, we must stop looking for a “B-Plan,” there is none! God is never satisfied with any less than the best. Why should we be? The truth is, we can’t.

Still on Kingdom Business in Southern Asia, 

JimR_/-

Idle talk gets a lot of people in trouble

And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Colossians 3:17

Idle talk gets a lot of people in trouble—including me, at times; thankfully, however, those times have become few and far between the older I get. The wise man thinks twice before he speaks once. Anger has a way of dulling the senses, and unless one has control over that deadliest of all vices, one is apt to spout off and think later. The road of good intention is strewn with broken relationships, simply because someone could not keep their trap shut.

Standing behind the pulpit with or without clerical garb offers no immunity either. Preaching the word, being instant in and out of season is always operative; however, preaching the word and giving the congregation or anyone else a piece of your mind is not what God has in mind. James tells us that:

[W]isdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. (James 3:17)

I couldn’t put it better than Romans 12:19 puts it:

Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord.

So, unless you or I or anyone else is sure that God wants us to go for it and give someone or a congregation a piece of God’s mind, it is best left unsaid. So, if in doubt; then don’t.

A very wise man once said:

A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger (Proverbs 15:1).

And, experience has taught me the hard way that he was right. None of the advice that I have just given is necessary, if everything we do is done in the name of Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him (Colossians 3:17).

Along with this, I am sure you have heard that “sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” What rubbish! The injuries caused by sticks and stones are mild compared to a vicious onslaught of vengeful spite. There are far worst ways for a husband to abuse his wife than to give her a black eye; a broken heart brings more pain. That’s for sure.

When we do everything in word and deed in the name of the Lord Jesus, we, first, must submit ourselves to His will. We are no longer in charge. And, believe me, that’s not easy. It’s not easy because we want some of the credit when things go right, and none of the blame when things go wrong.

Further, to do something in the name of someone, in Scriptural terms, means that we exercise power that is only that which the name gives us. Our feeble strength simply gets in the way otherwise. This is in line with the old proverb that says:

“If you don’t have an answer to the problem, don’t become part of the problem.”

And, it is at the point that you and I insert the power of our will into the mix that we only acerbate and become part of the problem. Paul must have had this in mind when he wrote:

Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. (Ephesians 6:13 KJV)

God in such circumstances fights for us, and even give us the armor to protect ourselves. This is not an aggressive stance against someone or anything, it is just God’s method for protecting us. Our stand may be passive—and therefore, hard to hold; but it is never defenseless or hopeless. We are to resist the Evil One, eschew that which is evil, and keep in focus that the battle is the Lord’s to fight not ours. The admonishment to turn the other cheek (Matthew 5:39) is as operative today as it was the day our Master gave it. So, why try and change it by inserting our own solution or will? It just doesn’t make spiritual sense to do so.

It is to His name that all nations and people shall bow, not ours or some charismatic preacher speaking words of rubbish into our lives. In such cases, we must let God do the talking; and I am quite confident that He is capable informing me of His intention and doesn’t have to go through someone shouting a “word of prophecy” into my life. Again, what foolishness.

If you or I or anyone else think it is necessary to run here and there to find some powerful preacher, or self-appointed Apostle to do God’s work in our life for us; then we have not learned what it is to do everything in word and deed in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

That is not to say that God does not speak through others to us, but in such cases, it is always done within the structure of a confirming body (1 Corinthians 14:29; 1 John 4:1; Et al.). For me, that is my denomination; for you yours—and in rather rare cases (it seems these days) an independent congregation which is solidly based on Scripture, and not the scatterbrain opinion of some elsewise religious hack stuffed with just a whole lot of pent-up anger with which he is willing to share with others. Tough words. But really, there is only one pope in Rome and with whom we all take issue; so why go about creating other ones in every little dinky upstart congregation with a new preacher with a new twist on Scripture? Whatever the case, our stance must always be anchored firmly in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and His authority, not ours or anyone else’s.

Now, may the anchor of His Name hold you firmly until His appearance,

JimR_/

Incarnational witness . . .

“Even on the cross He did not hide Himself from sight; rather, He made all creation witness to the presence of its Maker.” ― Athanasius of Alexandria, On the Incarnation

Most Christians I know are eager to witness to the truth of the Gospel; however, they are just too timid, or don’t know how, or feel ashamed of their example. So, any meaningful witness is simply not done. 

One need not be perfect to be a perfect witness for Christ. Transparency and openness takes care of that. In transparency, we all admit that we are struggling sinners saved by God’s grace. In bold transparency, St. Paul declared himself the chief of sinners, of whom he said, he was the worst (1 Timothy 1:15). That in and of itself is a powerful witness to God’s grace. That leaves us with timidity and ignorance. Now, would it surprise you there is a way to take care of all three at once and leave a powerful and lasting witness to the goodness of Christ?

That witness lies at the very core of who you are. We are, said Paul, living epistles, seen and read by all men (2 Corinthians 3:1-3). Thus, as Christ, we are in all actuality the final and most enduring witness that will last for any appreciable time. We, as Christ, have the privilege of continuing in the memory of man long after the words which we have spoken are forgotten. So, witnessing is not just about words; it is about a life: Christ and ours. 

This, I call “incarnational witnessing.” I am sure the term is not unique, but it is helpful in capsulating the essence of what true witnessing is all about. Christ, as we have so often been reminded, wrote no book, made no great fanfare about who he was, or for that matter what he was up to, either. He lived a simple, albeit miraculous life, humble and pure. There was not a selfish streak in him. “Others,” was his motto. He lived as he died, really, for others.

What a witness. What a man!

We, too, have this unique opportunity. We, too, can and must practice what we all preach. That in the final analysis is reduced to who we are. Preach it, or teach it; however, if we don’t live it, we most often do more harm than good. 

“Sir, we would see Jesus (John 12:20-21),” was the longing of the Greeks who came to Philip, lo those many years ago. It is still the cry of multiplied millions around the world. That is no exaggeration, either. Oh, they may not word it that way, or even consciously be aware of it. But they do seek answers. They seek peace, and a meaning to life. Christ can give it all, and more. That they want, too.

Far too often we seek eloquence, when we should instead seek silence, and the solitude of prayer and let Christ’s life speak through us for us. Holiness is pure eloquence. There need be no other witness, unless asked. Holiness in each and every case speaks louder than words. Be perfect, as your father in Heaven is perfect (Matthew 5:48) is holiness in perfection. That we must strive for, for without holiness, no man shall see God (Hebrews 12:14) —and, may I add, neither shall they see Christ in us, the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27).

Sir, we would see Jesus, is still the cry of the broken hearted, the sad, lonely and dejected. You and I are commissioned to fulfill that desire; but that is possible only if we like Paul carry the scars of Christ in our bodies (Galatians 6:17) for all to see that we indeed have not just talked the talk, but walked the walk, taken up our cross daily and followed him. That is to say, to be a true witness is not easy. It requires effort, and as necessary, sacrifice. Such holiness—that is, Christlikeness, speaks volumes. 

Holiness, like martyrdom, is a thing of the heart. One need not sacrifice their life to qualify; willingness alone is enough. 

Holiness as one of the true virtues is really in all actualities an outgrowth of love: God’s love, for God is Love personified, as is Christ, who as we believe is God. Therefore,

Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. (1 John 4:8 NIV) 

And what does Scripture also say? Here it is in black and white:

By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. (John 13:35 KJV) 

What a testimony. What a witness! 

Now, may the God of all love, keep you securely in all love, to whom we give all the glory, now and forevermore bless you and me with all understanding of that great love. 

JimR_/

Will sincerity get you to Heaven?

Often, I hear people say, “All religions are basically the same, so It doesn’t matter what you believe, really, as long as you are sincere about it.” That being the case, why then bother with all the gory details of the Crucifixion, or why would God send His only begotten Son to the earth in the first place? Apparently, God didn’t think Judaism was good enough, or Buddhism which existed long before Christianity. Philosophy fits into the same category. Not much new there, since the time of the ancient Hindu or Greek philosophers, either, just some modern twists on old thoughts. So, there must be a reason for this shift from what was to what must be.

Contrary to popular opinion, then, it does matter what one believes. All roads may lead to Rome, but not all roads lead to life everlasting. Only Jesus is that road, the way so to speak. He is also the truth, first and foremost. In Him, and through Him, and for Him, all things exist (Romans 11:36). Get that wrong, and you’ll wobble through life with uncertainty, always in a state of moral confusion, not really convinced that you or I or anyone else can ever be really sure of spiritual truths.

For some, this means that their destiny is up for grabs. Who knows what lies ahead? Now, I am not just talking about the world at large, either. Our pews are full of people that are just not quite sure. Not sure if righteously living, for instance, in the long run pays off.

No, don’t get me wrong. I am not saying that honest doubt is wrong; what I am, however, saying, is that we like the father in Mark 9: 14-29, who brought his son to Jesus to be healed, must seek God for clarification, and spiritual insight into such matters, rather than just simply accept what appears confusing to us. Half-truths will produce half answers. Which, in the long run, are not answers at all, they are simply excuses. The lazy man’s way out, you might say.

Believe me, it is easy to become spiritually lazy, if you are not already. Carrying a Bible to church on Sunday to look good, and neglecting to read it the rest of the week is a good sign of spiritual laziness, as are our little cookie cutter prayers throughout the week.

So, it does matter what we believe, and how we act. This is all God’s plan for us. Yes, we must contend for the faith that was once and for all times delivered to the saints (Jude 3); not just contend, however, we must live it (Jude 20-21).

Be blessed, better yet, bless others,

JimR_/-

May peace be upon you!

“Blessed is the peace maker,” our Lord declared, “for they will be called the children of God (Matthew 5:9).” 

Peace, however, seems so elusive these days, not just in the world at large, but in many churches. Homes and families, and neighbors are not exempt, either. Yet, the primal urge for each new generation is to desperately seek peace. Wars are fought over the issue, nations and people are torn apart, all in an effort for peace. Wars are won, still there is no peace. Peace like an elusive dream escapes the antagonists. On a lesser scale, but one of the greatest consequences, spouses abandon families and seek peace and quiet elsewhere, only to find that turmoil is again present, just under a different name, or a different roof.

The fact is that unless one has found peace within, regardless of the situation, there will be no peace without. Peace is a gift, otherwise, Christ would not have said,

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid (John 14:27).

So, one cannot become a peacemaker without first making peace within, and only God can bring that about, for He is our peace (Ephesians 2:14). 

Now, I understand that my reading audience is Christian primarily; however, it is one thing to be a Christian, and quite another to live like Christ. I find it amazing that some feel they can fudge on being Christian, and still expect peace. None-the-less, this is often the case. Paul succinctly presented the case when he wrote:

The mind of the flesh is death, but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind of the flesh is hostile to God: It does not submit to God’s Law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the flesh cannot please God. (Romans 8: 6-8)

Which is to say, that none of us can expect peace within unless we are willing in each situation we face for God to reign unhindered and freely in our hearts. There is no such thing as a little peace and quiet—either we have it, or we don’t. Contentment is not necessarily peace. Contentment may serve as an artificial substitute; but it is simply not peace. So, one should never confuse the two.

In fact, contentment can and most often does lull the complacent Christian to sleep. All may seem well in Zion—so to speak, while, all Hell is brewing just outside our walls of contentment. Eventually, the enemy of our souls will break those walls, and without the Prince of Peace within none of us can withstand the onslaught of worry, fear, and despair. 

So, let us not fool ourselves, money will not bring peace. Neither will a fine home, a luxury car, or a Caribbean cruise. Contentment, perhaps, but not peace. 

Let us, therefore, humble ourselves before Him with an honest expectation that He, the real peace giver, will flood our souls with peace—that peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, that will guard our hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus, of which Paul speaks (Philippians 4:8).

Friends, please understand this is not just rose colored religious jargon that I have written, these words are true. They are therapy. They are wholeness for the mind. They are medicine for the soul. They are God’s promises, not mine. 

So, the bottom-line is that regardless of how “Christian” we consider ourselves, that is not enough. The peace of Christ is first passive, then active. Passive in the sense that we must wholeheartedly submit in obedience to Christ; and then active in the sense that we then can become peace-makers. To think otherwise is to not understand the real meaning of what it means to have peace, particularly, peace with God.

Governments, and agencies like the United Nations do a fine job from time to time to bring about a lull in conflicts, but overall such peace is only temporary, elusive, and passing. Eventually, a new trouble-maker will gladly step up and take the place of the last; and like an endless Ferris wheel conflict and turmoil returns once again, and again, and so on. The same applies to us, unless we allow Christ and His Kingdom to reign unhindered in our lives. 

So, this peace of which Christ speaks, is beyond merely a good try on our part, but rather a mystery. However, none-the-less, it is a life that we must live (1 Peter 1:16; Colossians 2:9-11). Therefore, let us,

“Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord (Hebrews 11:14).”

As the Arabs say, may peace be upon you!

JimR/-

Shifting sands of time . . .

There are only two kinds of men: the righteous who think they are sinners and the sinners who think they are righteous. Blaise Pascal

One may resolve to live righteously; yet, foolishly twist the words of Christ and scriptures to suit themselves. Such self-righteousness is not righteousness at all—it’s a spiritual oxymoron, if there can be any such thing. Yet, some try to go it on their own. They make up the rules along the way, and think that they can get by with it. It’s the modern answer to an old outdated morality, they proclaim.

Somehow, according to their way of thinking, love—erotic or otherwise, trumps all. God has shifted His eternal will to meet today’s cultural norms, and self-defined love is the standard. The quicker the old morality is replaced, the better, as far as they are concerned, particularly when the politically correct wind of the future is blowing in a different direction.

Gender identity is scoffed at, by these absent-minded purveyors of political and religious liberalism. After all, as the reasoning goes, why cannot one become what one wishes to become? Born a man, want to be a woman? No problem. A good surgeon and some hormonal shots and enough money, and that can be resolved. Thus, despite all available scientific and psychological research, these decadent purveyors of licentiousness plod on trampling decency underneath them wherever their warped theology takes them.

Strange isn’t it, that in regard to gender and marriage, Jesus responded to the Pharisees,

“Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? So, they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, let no one separate.” (Matthew 19:8)

No question of gender there, or whom should marry whom. Why then do our politically correct churches agitate for change? Same sex marriage? Not in God’s eye, they’re not.

What about the foolish regulation that wool could not be mixed with linen when making a garment (Deuteronomy 22:11)? Surely that was a stupid law, right alongside the other regulations found in the law—as for example, proscribing same sex relations, and a host of other archaic regulations.

Well, the answer is simple. Only the priest had that privilege (Deuteronomy 22:11)—that is, to wear a garment made in such a way. So, laypersons were prohibited to dress that way. Today there are similar laws. It’s illegal to dress up in a badge and a uniform to impersonate a police officer, isn’t it? Police have the authority to stop a speeding car, or handcuff a person, or breakup a domestic dispute and arrest the culprit — things no one else may do. In a similar manner, God gave priests special authority to lead worship in his Holy Presence, administer Temple rituals so that they were, therefore, identified by the clothes they wore. So, it was and is unethical and misleading for a lay person to dress up like a priest, particularly when this can confuse the public or provide unwarranted privileges to the imposter.

I bring the issue up once again because I see so many Christians, pastor’s and laymen alike retreat to a politically correct corner and cave in to the most egregious immorality imaginable. Murder is alright—their warped reasoning goes, after all an abortion is a woman’s right. Furthermore, love is the bond that unites a couple, regardless of sex; and, therefore, God must be pleased to sanction such practices.

Not according to Scripture, particularly Romans 1:18-32, or as implied by the words of Christ, as found in Matthew 19:8, which was quoted above. The natural minded confuse the order of creation, including human sexuality, among other things, when our theology strays from God’s Word. Friendships aside, we are obligated to take a stance solidly on Scripture; speaking in love (Ephesians 4:15), of course.

We are only complete in Him. There is no perfection outside that. Anything less is like spinning our wheels. We get nowhere. Frustration sets in. Like the proverbial gerbil, round and round we go, and where we stop no one knows.

The writer to the Hebrews declared,

For both the One who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are of the same family. That is why Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers. (Hebrews 2:11)

Which brings about an interesting conundrum, and that is, who sanctifies us? Christ, of course. He is the One who sanctifies us, the Scripture tells us, doesn’t it?

So, it’s best to stick with Jesus and His Word under all circumstances, past and present, whether or not it is the politically correct thing to do.

Let us therefore, put on the whole armor of God, including the breastplate of righteousness (Ephesians 6:11-20). For It is because of God that we are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God--that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption (1 Corinthians 1:30).

Therefore, to dismiss the words of Christ and his duly appointed Apostles and prophets, upon whom the Church is built, with Jesus as the Chief Cornerstone (Ephesians 2:20) as outdated is perhaps religion, but not much more—certainly not the faith that was delievered once and for all to the saints, of which Jude speaks. 

Now, may God keep you safely in the arms of Jesus, for in Him dwells all the fulness of God bodily, and we are complete in Him (Colossians 2:9-10).

JimR/-