Monthly Archives: October 2020

October 25, 2020 · 10:00

Can’t Vote Democrat!

When the wicked rise, men hide themselves: but when they perish, the righteous increase. (Proverbs 28:28)

The presidential elections are upon us again, and my choices are quite simple. I remember a time in my life, at least 40 years ago when I voted for the first time, that one could vote for an individual regardless of party affiliation. One could examine each candidate and vote for the one that most agreed with one’s views, and one could be pretty sure that he/she would legislate according to the interest of their constituents.

Differences between Republican and Democrat have existed since the founding of our nation, but those differences could be laid aside when legislating laws that affected the American people. There was a time when “reaching across the aisle” meant that differing views could be debated, and a workable solution acceptable to both sides could be achieved. That day is long gone.

Today, one party still maintains the ideal of individualism that allows members to cross party lines in legislative matters. Some of those consistently cross party lines and are affectionately (or maybe not so affectionately) called RINOs – Republicans In Name Only. The other side has no DINOs – Democrats In Name Only. They all vote the Democrat party line as a block. They remind me of “The BORG.”[1] Their idea of “reaching across the aisle” means that Republicans must capitulate to their side – “We are the BORG. Lower your shields and surrender your ships. We will add your biological and technological distinctive to our own. Your culture will adapt to service us. Resistance is futile.”[2]

Democrats march in lockstep. They all vote as one block. It is extremely rare these days for a Democratic legislator to vote contrary to the party line. Such defections result in disciplinary action against the offender in one form or another.

There is strength in unity, but unity in unrighteousness destroys the nation. I would gladly vote for a Democrat if I could trust him/her to vote in a manner consistent with biblical values. (One does not necessarily have to be a Christian to hold biblical values.)

I spent several hours recently reading through the Democrat Party Platform – all 91 pages of it. Here is some of what I learned. First of all, the Democrats voted in 2008 to eliminate God from the party platform. In the entire platform, they mention God once and only as part of a hyphenated word. “Democrats remain committed to ending poverty and enabling all Americans to live up to their God-given potential” (p. 23 of the platform). That could be any god, not necessarily the God of the Bible. The Bible says that “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding” (Proverbs 9:10). How can Democrats rule with understanding if they have no “fear of the LORD”? After this, the platform loses substance.

Democrats support abortion at any point in pregnancy – many even support infanticide within a few minutes after the birth of a child. They camouflage their callous disregard of human life under the pretext of “women’s reproductive health rights” – a misnomer if I ever heard one. What is “reproductive” about ending the life of a baby? They say, “Like the majority of Americans (emphasis mine), Democrats believe every woman should be able to access high-quality reproductive health care (emphasis mine) services, including safe and legal abortion (emphasis mine). We oppose and will fight to overturn federal and state laws that create barriers to women’s reproductive health and rights (emphasis mine), including by repealing the Hyde Amendment and protecting and codifying the right to reproductive freedom” (p. 41). Since the party is fundamentally atheist, the sanctity of human life means nothing because they reject the Creator of life. Without a Holy God superintending His Creation, nothing is sacred. For that reason, I cannot vote for a Democrat.

The Democrat Party is morally bankrupt. The party promotes LGBTQ+ Rights as if the laws protecting all Americans are insufficient for the sexually deviant community. God considers sexual perversion an abomination,[3] but since the Democrat Party rejects God, it has no problem supporting and even encouraging sexual deviancy. The Party goes so far as to support the raising of children in a sexually deviant environment. “We will work to ensure LGBTQ+ people are not discriminated against when seeking to adopt or foster children” (p.42).  For that reason, I cannot vote for a Democrat.

The Party claims to support religious freedom unless they determine that religion discriminates against select groups like LGBTQ+ or “women’s reproductive health rights.” They say, “Religious freedom is a core American value and a core value of the Democratic Party. Democrats will protect the rights of each American for the free exercise of his or her own religion … Democrats celebrate America’s history of religious pluralism and tolerance, and recognize the countless acts of service of our faith communities, as well as the paramount importance of maintaining the separation between church and state enshrined in our Constitution (emphasis mine) … We will reject the Trump Administration’s[4] use of broad religious exemptions to allow businesses, medical providers, social service agencies, and others to discriminate. (p. 48). In other words, religious freedom is permissible as long as it goes along with on-demand abortion for any reason and the LGBTQ+ culture or anything else the party supports that violate religious tenets. In the same paragraph they threaten, “We will confront white nationalist terrorism and combat hate crimes perpetrated against religious minorities” (emphasis mine) I am not sure what they mean by that, but it does not sound good! For that reason, I cannot vote for a Democrat.

The Democrat Party Platform is racist. Almost every platform page contained statements about how black lives matter (they do, but so do all lives), and about government efforts to better the lives of an assortment of ethnic groups in various ways. The fact that “race” dominates so much of the narrative gives evidence to the party’s racist perspective. Race should not even be part of the conversation. The platform should apply to all Americans regardless of race or ethnicity. To selectively point to different “races” for special treatment is racist. For that reason, I cannot vote for a Democrat.

The Democrat Party Platform offers many big ideas for government to benefit the American people (mostly “minorities”) without thought of the cost or who will pay for the government’s benevolence. They also speak a lot about climate change and how the United States, the cleanest, the least polluting country in the world, is obligated to lead the world in cleaning up the environment and controlling climate. The Democrat Party favors a global system of world government. They do not say that in so many words, but it is hidden between the lines throughout the platform. For that reason, I cannot vote for a Democrat.

Every Democrat running for office, regardless of what they say in their campaign ads, will have to conform to the Party Platform once they are in office. I cannot understand why any Christian would vote for any Democrat running for any office knowing that they are obligated to tow the party line. They must assimilate to the BORG; resistance is futile! For that reason, I cannot vote for a Democrat.

I admit, not all Republicans are saints, but at least they maintain a semblance of individuality so that they often vote contrary to their own party. Not Democrats, they vote a straight party line, and that party line violates Christian principles in multiple ways.

I have heard so many Christians say they cannot vote for Donald Trump because they do not like his personality.  Personally, I do not care for his personality either, at least not what I see in the media. However, I do not know him personally, and neither do many of his critics. Many who have met him in person say he is very personable and even likeable.

So, disregard his media persona and consider what he has done for the national economy; he cut taxes for all Americans. He cut taxes and regulations for small and large businesses resulting in higher employment for all Americans – unemployment is rate down to 3.5%.[5] Consider what he has done to advance religious liberty, much to the chagrin of the Democrats. Consider how he has strengthened our alliance with Israel – the “apple of God’s eye.” Consider how he has advanced American interests around the world. He has either placed or reinforced sanctions on our nation’s enemies, Iran, China, North Korea, Russia, etc. Consider that he pulled the U.S. out of the Paris Climate Agreement, which punishes the U.S. and makes allowances to world polluters, again, to the chagrin of the Democrat Party. Consider how he is making other NATO nations pay their fair share for their own defense. Consider how he has cut funding to the United Nations. Then consider the Democrat’s desire to negate Trump’s advancements according to the 2020 Democrat Party Platform. I simply cannot vote for a Democrat to any office, but especially not to the presidency of the United States. It would be the most unchristian thing I could do in carrying out my civic duty.

One final thought, God is in control. He rules and reigns in the affairs of men. In the meantime, He expects His children to do what is right according to the principles He has laid out in His Word. The Democrat Party violates the Word of God in so many ways. For that reason, I cannot vote for a Democrat, and I cannot see how anyone claiming to be a Christian can vote for a Democrat. It makes no sense to me. Vote, but please sincerely pray about it before making your choice. Oh, and not voting means a vote for the Democrats; do not neglect your civic duty.

Notes:

[1]  “The Borg” – https://erniecarrasco.com/2018/11/11/the-borg/

[2]  Quote from “Star Trek – The Next Generation” – https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=resistance%20is%20futile

[3]  Leviticus 18:22-23, 27; Romans 1:26-27, 32; 1 Corinthians 6:9

[4]  The 2020 Democrat Party Platform brings up many unsubstantiated charges against the Trump Administration. They make claims without any sources to verify the claims. You must believe what they say because they are the BORG and resistance (or critical thinking) is futile!

[5]  Since the COVID-19 lockdowns, unemployment rates have risen once again but that can hardly be blamed on President Trump. He did not cause the pandemic and lockdowns were put in place by individual states under the advisement of the CDC, not Donald Trump.

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October 18, 2020 · 10:00

Jesus And The Fig Tree

Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: (Matthew 24:32)

During Jesus’ last week of His earthly ministry before His crucifixion and shortly after His Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem, Matthew and Mark record a strange incident when Jesus cursed a fig tree because it had no fruit and immediately, the tree withered.

Jesus entered Jerusalem on what we know as Palm Sunday. He went directly to the Temple cast out the money changers and those who sold animals for the upcoming Passover sacrifice.[1] To us Gentiles, it seems strange that it offended Jesus that these men were turning the Holy Temple into a marketplace. However, as Jesus drove out the merchants, He exclaimed, “Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves” (Mark 11:17).

A long-held Jewish tradition during Passover is to get all the leaven out of the house before the Passover celebration. Leaven represents sin, and it must be removed from the house. The Temple was Jesus’ house, and He was cleansing it from the sin within in preparation for the coming Passover.

At this point, I need to mention an apparent contradiction between Mark’s account of the Temple cleansing and that of both Matthew and Luke. Both Matthew and Luke record that the cleansing took place on the same day as the Triumphal Entry – Palm Sunday.[2] However, Mark indicates that the cleansing took place on the following day (Monday). Mark records that on Palm Sunday, “Jesus entered into Jerusalem, and into the temple: and when he had looked round about upon all things, and now the eventide was come, he went out unto Bethany with the twelve. And on the morrow [Monday], when they were come from Bethany … And they come to Jerusalem: and Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple” (Mark 11:11-12, 15, emphasis mine). So, did Jesus cleanse the Temple on Palm Sunday or on the following day? Great biblical minds have no clue! I am not one who finds contradictions in the Bible because “God is not the author of confusion.”[3] Two Gospel writers say the cleansing took place on Sunday, and one (Mark, who was not an eyewitness) says it was on Monday. I believe all three accounts are correct. It is possible that there were two cleansings, one on Sunday and one on Monday. I will leave it at that for now.

Only Matthew and Mark record the incident with Jesus cursing the fig tree, and both agree that it happened on Monday morning as Jesus returned to Jerusalem from Bethany where He was probably staying in the home of Lazarus, Martha, and Mary.[4] What happened next seems rather strange. Jesus spotted a fig tree along the way and being hungry, He went to see if it had any figs.[5] Mark remarks that “the time of figs was not yet” (Mark 11:13). Finding no figs on the tree, Jesus cursed the tree, and it soon “dried up from the roots” (Mark 11:20).

It seems strange that Jesus, the Creator,[6] would not know that it was not the time for figs, So, why would He expect to find figs on the tree? Some commentators suggest that the tree should have had some unripe fruit on it that could be eaten.

“Toward the end of March the leaves begin to appear, and in about a week the foliage coating is complete. Coincident with [this], and sometimes even before, there appears quite a crop of small knobs, not the real figs, but a kind of early forerunner. They grow to the size of green almonds, in which condition they are eaten by peasants and others when hungry.”[7]

That makes some sense. Both Matthew and Mark remark that Jesus found nothing but leaves on the tree. There were not even “knobs” to eat on the tree. But was that sufficient cause for Jesus to curse the tree? The same commentators quoted above, suggested that Jesus used this incident as an object lesson to emphasize Luke’s parable about the fig tree that bore no fruit.[8] However, neither Matthew nor Mark includes that parable in their Gospels, and Luke omits the cursing of the fig tree, so their argument does not seem to be very strong.

Jesus, the Creator, knew it was too early for figs, and He knew He would not find figs on the tree. So the cursing of the tree had another purpose. Jesus never did anything without a purpose.

Later in the week as Jesus sat with His disciples on the Mount of Olives, they asked Him for signs of the last days and the end of the world. The detailed description of the last days, known as the “Olivet Discourse,” is found in all three Synoptic Gospels.[9] “But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only” (Matthew 24:36). However, Jesus said the times would be discernible, and He used the fig tree to illustrate. “Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled” (Matthew 24:32-34, emphasis mine).

The fig tree represents the nation of Israel. Several passages in the Old Testament make this association. God says, “I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness; I saw your fathers as the firstripe in the fig tree at her first time …” (Hosea 9:10, emphasis mine). “He [the king of Babylon] hath laid my vine waste, and barked my fig tree: he hath made it clean bare, and cast it away; the branches thereof are made white” (Joel 1:7, emphasis mine). God also refers to Israel as His (grape) “vine.” Concerning Israel’s restoration, Scripture says, “Then will the LORD be jealous for his land, and pity his people … Be not afraid, ye beasts of the field: for the pastures of the wilderness do spring, for the tree beareth her fruit, the fig tree and the vine do yield their strength” (Joel 2:18, 22, emphasis mine).

Jesus’ parable of the fig tree gives the signal for the beginning of the end-time events. Israel, the fig tree, budded on May 14, 1948, signaling that “summer” is near. Jesus said that “this generation,” the one that sees the fig tree bud, will not pass until all these signs are accomplished. “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away” (Matthew 24:35).

So, why did Jesus curse the fig tree? God chose Israel to be a “priest nation” to all the nations of the world, beginning with Abraham; “in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed” (Genesis 12:3, emphasis mine). To Israel, God says, “And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation …” (Exodus 19:6). It was Israel’s task to reveal God to the nations of the world. Instead, Israel followed in the idolatrous steps of the surrounding nations. Israel, the fig tree, did not produce the fruit God expected. Jesus’ object lesson in cursing the fig tree demonstrated that God would no longer use Israel to bless the nations and to be the priest nation to the world. Instead, He assigned that task to other “husbandmen.”[10] To these new husbandmen, i.e., the Church, Jesus said, “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8, emphasis mine).

So, the fig tree withered and can no longer produce fruit. Instead, Jesus assigned the task of bringing God to the world to the Church. As for the fig tree, “they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled” (Luke 21:24, emphasis mine).

That time is near. It started when the fig tree budded in 1948. The fig tree has yet to produce any fruit, but that is because the Church is still yielding fruit, albeit at a waning rate. Soon, the Church will be plucked up, and God’s fig tree will have another opportunity to yield its fruit. “And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel” (Revelation 7:4, emphasis mine). During the Tribulation, the 144,000 Israeli evangelists will carry the Gospel to all the world and produce much “fruit” for the Lord. “After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands” (Revelation 7:9, emphasis mine).

In the end, the fig tree will produce the fruit for which it was created. However, it must be understood that not every individual Israeli will be saved. Their salvation does not come from their nationality (Israel) or their religion (Judaism). Just as with every other person, salvation comes only through faith in Jesus the Messiah. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). The 144,000 remnant of Israel that carry the Gospel to all the world will be saved by the same message that “whosoever believeth in him [Jesus] should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). Those that hear and believe the message of the 144,000 will be saved the same way.

Reader, if you do not know Jesus, now is a great time to get acquainted. Read my page on “Securing Eternal Life” and get that settled today.

Notes:

[1]  Matthew 21:12-13; Mark 11:15-17; Luke 19:45-46

[2]  Matthew 21:8-13; Luke 19:35-46

[3]  1 Corinthians 14:33

[4]  John 11:2

[5]  Matthew 21:18-19; Mark 11:12-13

[6]  John 1:1-3; Colossians 1:16; Revelation 4:11

[7] Walter C. Kaiser Jr., Peter H. Davids, F.F. Bruce, Manfred T. Brauch, Hard Saying of the Bible, (InterVarity Press Academic, Downers Grove, Illinois, 1996), p. 442, quoting W.M. Christie, “The Barren Fig Tree.”

[8]  Luke 13:6-9

[9]  Matthew 24; Mark 13; Luke 21

[10]  Matthew 21:33-41

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October 11, 2020 · 10:00

Jesus And Genesis

But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female. (Mark 10:6)

If one wants to criticize and discount the Bible, there is no better place to start than at the beginning with Genesis. Those who reject God find it easier to believe the absurdity that nothing expanded and resulted in everything. They claim to believe the “science.” However, scientific proof requires the implementation of the “scientific method.” As an elementary school teacher just 12 years ago, we still taught the “scientific method” which included observation, hypothesis, experimentation, and falsification. God deniers profess science without employing the scientific method to support their hypothesis. No one observed the Big Bang. No one can experiment to reproduce the Big Bang. (It would be scary if they could!) And no one can falsify the Big Bang, yet they claim to be “scientific.”

The same can said for Creation. Creation cannot be proven by the scientific method. It was a unique, miraculous, one-time event. Creation differs from the Big Bang in that it started with Someone; it did not come from nothing – “In the beginning, God”[1] and God recorded His work in the first chapter of the Book of Beginnings – Genesis. The thinking person (not the God denier – they do not think) only needs to consider the creation account for what it says, recognizing the implied characteristics of the omnipotent Creator’s ability to do what He said He did and compare that to the order out of chaos suggested by the Big Bang proponents. Because of the vast complexity of the universe and life on earth, logic supports creation by an intelligent Creator over life by luck. Of course, some God deniers reject the Big Bang for that very reason and opt to believe that life on earth was “seeded” by extraterrestrials from other worlds, but that raises another question. How did the extraterrestrials originate? That question cannot be answered.

God deniers will not be convinced with logic. They reject God by choice. I am more surprised by those who say they believe the Bible but reject the Genesis account. They have been taught that the Big Bang is a fact and that life on earth arose through the process of evolution. In order to keep their faith in God intact, they rationalize that God somehow used the Big Bang and evolution to create. That makes sense. God can do anything He wants to do and use whatever means He chooses to do it. He is God! However, in reading the straightforward creation account in Genesis 1, one cannot find the logical steps of evolution. God created the universe by His spoken word, not with a bang.[2] He created plant life[3] before He created the sun. He created the sun and moon before creating the rest of the stars as sort of an afterthought.[4] He created marine and avian life before creating the dinosaurs (land creatures). Secular scientists claim that birds evolved from dinosaurs, but Genesis says that birds came first. Furthermore, the Genesis account of creation records that each day of creation was a 24-hour day;[5] that amount of time does not allow for evolution to take place.

Some overly educated theologians dismiss the Genesis account of creation as poetry or allegory. Somehow in all of their education, they miss the fact that Hebrew poetry is distinct by its use of parallelism. There is none of that in the Genesis account. Any Hebrew language novice understands that the first three chapters in Genesis, which take the brunt of the criticism, are written in narrative form like any other historical portion of Scripture. Genesis is not poetry. It presents a factual account, or at least it is factual to the author.

Jesus, who the New Testament credits as Creator[6], affirmed the validity of Genesis. When the Pharisees challenged Him on the question of divorce, Jesus referred them back to Genesis. “But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female” (Mark 10:6, emphasis mine). The making of the first human pair is recorded in the first chapter of Genesis. “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them” (Genesis 1:27, emphasis mine). For the sake of this confused world today, it should be noted that God made one pair of opposite, yet complementary sexes. They were not androgynous with the option to choose their sex. God did not create two males to mate with each other or two females to cohabitate. God designed the sexes for reproduction. Two males cannot reproduce, nor can two females reproduce. The union is not about “feeling” but about “function.” Male and female “fit” together. The way God designed it works. The way modern man has perverted it often ends in tragedy.

Genesis records that Adam’s first son was Cain and the second was Abel. Cain murdered Abel in a fit of jealous rage,[7] and Jesus referred to that as a factual account. As Jesus excoriated the Pharisees for their hypocrisy, He said, “Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell? Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city: That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar” (Matthew 23:33-35, emphasis mine). Jesus again affirmed the veracity of Genesis in citing Abel as a real person. As an aside, I find it interesting that Jesus takes credit for sending the prophets – “I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes.” That is what God does. Therefore, Jesus claims to be God.

The Global Flood account in Genesis 6-9 is also a major point of contention with Bible critics, even those claiming to be Christian. However, Jesus vouched for its authenticity. In speaking on the last days, Jesus said, “But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be” (Matthew 24:37-39, emphasis mine). So, to those who claim to be Christian yet reject Genesis, do you reject Jesus’ words as well? If you doubt the first eleven chapters of Genesis, how can you believe the words of Jesus? He spoke of the Genesis account as fact.

Jesus created[8] man in His image[9] knowing the kind of body He would one day inhabit.[10] Jesus accepted Abel’s sacrifice[11] over that of Cain’s, and when Cain murdered Abel, He demonstrated mercy toward Cain by setting a mark on him to spare his life.[12] God had Noah build an ark with only one entrance. The Ark was large enough to accommodate thousands of more people than Noah and his family, but only those eight that believed God and entered through the only door were saved from the Flood. Jesus is our Ark of salvation. He said, “I AM the door.”[13] He is the only entrance to eternal life; there is no other way. “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6, emphasis mine).

I understand God deniers rejecting the Genesis account of creation. They are lost and hell-bound. But there is no excuse for Christians rejecting the Genesis account if indeed they believe Jesus’ words.

Reader, if you are questioning the veracity of Scripture, particularly where it comes to creation, perhaps the first thing you need to consider your eternal standing before God. Read my page on “Securing Eternal Life.”

Notes:

[1]  Genesis 1:1

[2]  Genesis 1:1-5

[3]  Genesis 1:11-12

[4]  Genesis 1:14-16

[5]  “A Day Is A Day” – https://erniecarrasco.com/2015/10/25/a-day-is-a-day/

[6]  John 1:1-3; Colossians 1:16-17; Revelation 4:11

[7]  Genesis 4:1-8

[8]  John 1:1-3

[9]  Genesis 1:26-27

[10]  John 1:14; Philippians 2:7-8

[11]  Genesis 4:4

[12]  Genesis 4:15

[13]  John 10:9

 

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October 4, 2020 · 10:00

Feet Only

Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all. (John 13:10)

On the evening before His crucifixion, Jesus celebrated Passover with His disciples. The Apostle John records in his Gospel that Jesus “laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself” (John 13:4) and proceeded to wash the feet of His disciples.

In those days, the majority of travel was done on foot. The footwear of the day protected only the sole of the feet leaving the rest of the feet exposed to the elements. Most of the roads were no more than dirt trails so that feet collected a good amount of road dirt.

It was customary for the host of a house to welcome the traveler by washing the road dirt off their feet. This task was assigned to the lowest servant or the youngest member of the household. For whatever reason, no one performed the customary foot washing at this house, perhaps because it was a private gathering not hosted by the homeowner.

Whatever the reason, Jesus chose this time to give an object lesson. Jesus rose from the table, removed his outer garment, took a towel, and some water, and performed the task of the lowliest servant. Jesus washed all of the disciples’ feet, but when he got to Peter, Peter protested. “Lord, dost thou wash my feet?” (John 13:6). Peter was not being “holier than thou,” in his refusal to have Jesus wash his feet. Perhaps, as he watched Jesus wash the other’s feet, he thought, “Why didn’t someone else do that? The Master should not be the one doing that! Maybe I should be the one washing feet.” Whatever may have crossed his mind, it was obvious that he was humiliated that his Lord should lower Himself to that position.

“Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter” (John 13:7). We seldom know what God is doing in our lives when we go through trials, but when we look back on our lives, we can see how God directed our circumstances for our good.[1] Peter did not get the lesson; “Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me. Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.” (John 13:8-10).

Jesus washed all of the disciples’ feet. They did not need a bath; only their feet needed washing, but Jesus said not all were clean. The unclean one to whom Jesus referred as Judas Iscariot who would betray Him. It’s not that Judas failed to take his Sabbath Day mikvah; Jesus referred to Judas’ spiritual condition, not his physical cleanliness. Therefore, the significance of the foot-washing act goes deeper than road grime.

The disciples were “clean” because they believed that Jesus was their expected Messiah. When Jesus had asked, “Whom do you say that I am?” Peter confessed, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16). The key to salvation (i.e., cleansing) is “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved” (Romans 10:9). Obviously, Judas had not believed: therefore, he was not clean.

As we traveled to Washington, D.C. for the Franklin Graham 2020 Prayer March[2] last week, this topic came up in our conversation. My brother Eli made a very interesting analogy applicable to the Church today. Like Jesus’ disciples (and we too are disciples) we walk around in this filthy world every day, and the grime of the world cannot help but stick to our “spiritual feet.” Then, every time we gather for worship and fellowship, we have the opportunity to wash each other’s feet. We do not need a bath because the Bible says that “ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Corinthians 6:11). Our “spiritual” feet only need washing. Therefore, the Bible encourages us to gather together. “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water … Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” (Hebrews 10:22, 25, emphasis mine). Our gathering together is the way we wash each other’s feet by praying for each other and encouraging one another in the faith.

Another parallel that can be drawn from this account is that not all are clean. The twelve apostles walked with Jesus for three years of His earthly ministry, yet one of them was lost, i.e., not clean, the entire time. In the same way, not all within the Church are all saved. Some practice all the “right things” on the outside, but inwardly they have not truly believed. Jesus referred to these as “tares.”[3] When He returns for His Bride, the Church, these will be left behind. For now, feet only need washing if you have placed your trust in Jesus Christ. If not, you need a bath. If you are not sure of your standing before God, please read my page on “Securing Eternal Life.”

Notes:

[1]  Romans 8:28-29

[2]  https://erniecarrasco.com/2020/10/01/reflections-on-the-washington-2020-prayer-march/

[3]  Matthew 13:24-30

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October 1, 2020 · 21:54

Reflections on the Washington 2020 Prayer March

Franklin Graham greets a crowd of over 50,000 prayer warriors to initiate the 2020 Prayer March in front of the Lincoln Memorial.

Franklin Graham held a Prayer March for our nation in Washington, DC on September 26, 2020. It seems that a lot has gone wrong with our nation. The steady erosion of our moral fiber started its decline decades ago, but in the last 20 years, and more so in this past year, the decline has taken an almost 90-degree plunge. At this point, no hope exists for a reversal of the trend — but God!

My brother, Eli, and I drove from Texas to participate in the prayer march. Early on Wednesday morning, September 23, 2020, I drove from Garland to Tyler to pick up Eli, and from there, we headed eastbound on I-20 to rendezvous with thousands of like-minded prayer warriors. We were on a mission from God to plead for our nation.

I take terrible selfies. If Eli (standing behind me) looks a little more handsome, it’s only because he is five years younger.

The extended weather forecast for Washington, DC on the 26th called for 60% chance of rain. We packed our ponchos determined to pray come rain or shine. With all the civil unrest and rioting across the nation, including DC, I maintained some concern about possible protests, perhaps even violent protests, against our efforts. However, as with 90% of our worries that never take place, not a drop of rain fell, although the sky remained overcast, nor did we see a single protestor. It was as if God put a protective shield around His people.

Waiting for our marching orders

I do not know why I should be surprised; I have experienced this hundreds of times throughout my life. Among the thousands of people there, I did not meet a single stranger. The bond of Christian fellowship was palpable, and the warmth of the Holy Spirit dispersed the slight chill in the air. It seemed to me as if God cupped His hands over the group to keep us safe from any harm. As we congregated at the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, someone on a keyboard started playing and singing an old hymn. The congregation immediately joined in on all four stanzas. (I wish I could remember the titles.) Then the song leader started another old hymn and again the entire congregation joined in on all stanzas. After that, the song leader led in a couple of modern worship songs. The volume of singing went down considerably – not everyone knows the new songs — but with the oft-repeated phrases, the volume rose toward the end. The “song service” ended with four stanzas of “Amazing Grace.” The singing stirred my heart! I do not believe the angels in heaven could sound as good.

The Prayer March starting at the Lincoln Memorial and ending at the United States Capitol Building

After the singing, Franklin Graham came to the stand and announced that we had a surprise visitor. Vice President, Mike Pence and his wife Karen came and led the congregation in the opening prayer. Former Congresswoman, Michelle Bachman and Bishop Harry Jackson led in prayer, and when they were done, Rev. Graham asked us all to individually pray out loud. The sound of thousands of voices calling out to God was too incredible to express in human speech. It is awesome to know that God heard each and every prayer. Then our march started.

Praying every step of the way

We prayed every step of the way. From the Lincoln Memorial, we marched and prayed to the World War II Memorial, then to the Washington Monument, the White House, the National Museum of African American History & Culture, the National Archives, and finally to the U.S. Capitol. As we marched and prayed the words of a familiar chorus played over and over again in my head:

LORD, listen to Your children praying.
LORD, send Your Spirit in this place.
LORD, listen to Your children praying.
Send us love, send us power, send us grace.

Praying for our Legislators

We finally arrived at the Capitol Building where we prayed for our lawmakers. I know God wants us to pray. The Bible instructs us to pray for our leaders and those in authority over us. Many that came to pray, including me, asked God to forgive our nation for her sins and to turn our nation back to God. As I prayed, I rehearsed our national sins. In the 60’s we took prayer out of school and banned the Bible from our public education systems. We expelled God from the public square so that now the Democrat Party has stricken God out of their party platform. We have legalized the murder of unborn children and our national heart has hardened so much that even infanticide is acceptable in the process of partial-birth abortions. We have called good evil and evil good so that what used to be considered pedophilia is now acceptable, and we even teach it to our very young children. 

Our nation is sick, and I seriously wonder if God will answer our prayers in the way many of these brave prayer warriors expect. I recall the Prophet Jeremiah praying for his people as they tried God through their idolatry. Jeremiah prayed that God would spare Judah from the certain punishment they deserved. God spoke to Jeremiah and said, “Thus saith the LORD unto this people, Thus have they loved to wander, they have not refrained their feet, therefore the LORD doth not accept them; he will now remember their iniquity, and visit their sins. Then said the LORD unto me, Pray not for this people for their good” (Jeremiah 14:10-11).

Our nation has loved to wander away from God, and “have not refrained their feet.” Could it be that God will refuse to answer our prayers on behalf of our nation? Perhaps, but our mandate is still to pray and so we have and continue to pray. God has His plan and His plan will not fail. Consider that the United States of America is not found in prophecy although some would like it to be. For us, the over 50,000 prayer warriors that showed up to the Prayer March, our true citizenship is in heaven wherein we have our hope. Our hope is in Christ and in His return. His kingdom is a kingdom of eternal peace. Therein lies our hope.

Eli and I were blessed beyond measure to participate with thousands of our brothers and sisters in Christ in a loud call to God on behalf of our nation. We enjoyed warm fellowship with God’s family. I leave you with one final picture of my brother, the Marine.

Along the way we found a young man with his bulldog. The bulldog being the Marine mascot, Eli asked if he could get a picture with the “Devil Dog.” The young man was kind enough to grant his request!

If you would like to watch the entire Prayer March, click on this link: https://prayermarch2020.com/live/

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