# 50: Open Book Exam

When I was at university, some of those artsy courses used to have open book exams. They could take any book into the class and use it in the exam. Didn't make sense to me until I did one and realised if you don't know the stuff well enough you aren't going to find it quick enough in an exam.

God's judgement is an open book exam.

God's judgement is not a hidden mystery, as if he will judge us for things we know not what.

No, God has given us the textbook, in fact God is a lot like my Physics lecturer who used to say, "I'm not going to tell you what's in the exam, but if you study the lecture material, in particular week four, and if I was doing this exam I would be sure to study magnetism."

God has told us what's on the test, he's given us the textbook.

So it makes absolutely no sense for Cliff Richard to say things like this:

"I'm not going to judge, I'll leave that to God."

Off course we leave judgement to God, but God has told us how he will judge and that really ought to modify our behaviour and what we approve and disapprove of.

What Cliff really means is, "I'm not listening to what God has already told us"

Umm, Cliff, that's one of the main things God says he will judge us for.

http://www.smh.com.au/news/books/sir-cliffs-life-with-expriest/2008/09/05/1220121491526.html?sssdmh=dm16.333153

# 49: Giving The Drowning Man an Anvil

What is it that the homosexual person needs most from Christians right now?


Our society is on a trend toward indulgence and meaninglessness. Hedonism is one of our unofficial religions.
The homosexual community, in particular that segment represented by the Gay and Lesbian Mardis Gras, is at the decadent edge of this trend.

So Christians who are struggling with homosexuality, and homosexuals who are struggling with Christianity are being told by the world things like:

* Homosexuality is normal.
* Sexual indulgence is the key to happiness.
* Sex is the only thing that matters.
* No one can tell you what to do.
* Your feelings are the best guide to moral truth.

The Bible tells us plainly, again and again that homosexual behaviour is a sin.
The Bible tells us people who continue to practice homosexuality will come under God's judgement.

So what is it that we really need to tell the struggling person?

Sorry?

It's OK?

Giving a blanket sorry to the homosexual community is as helpful to the struggling Christian as giving an anvil to a drowning man.

For the love of God, haven't we got anything to throw him that will help lift him out of the mess?

If you throw a drowing man a stick or a branch, sure it might sting a bit if it hits him hard, but it's what he needs to climb out of the quicksand.

# 42: Salt of the Earth

"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. "
Matthew 5:13

Salt is salty because it is different to the rest of the world. Sure it stings a wound, but that's because it's killing the germs.

How can Christians be the salt of the earth when:

* Our ways of thinking are the ways of thinking of the world,

* Our morals and ethics become those of the world, and

* Our actions and lifestyles are the same of those of the world?

If we stop looking to God in Scripture, and continue looking to the world for our definition of right and wrong and using worldly wisdom to regulate church practice, as for example some do in the area of accepting homosexual practice as good, then we lose our saltiness. We are no longer good for anything, except...