MOUNTING READERSHIP OF HLM BLOG AND SHIFT IN EMPHASIS

The HumanLifeMatters blog has surpassed 250,000 hits! Although the readership is primarily American and Canadian, people have visited the HLM blog from around the world. Not only does today mark a major numerical achievement with a quarter of a million hits, it also brings a change in the appearance to the HumanLifeMatters blog and a shift in overall emphasis in content. I will write from a Christian perspective to Evangelicals and orthodox Catholics.

Although I will still continue to deal firmly with critical Life issues such abortion, euthanasia, assisted suicide and other end of life issues, the HLM blog will also deal with matters of Christian faith. Our only hope as individuals and societies rests in Jesus Christ -- and Him alone. Therefore I will suspend further entries in my other blog http://markpickup.org. 

THE IMAGE OF GOD

A spark of the divine exists within every human being: It is the image and likeness of God of which the Bible speaks.  At the very beginning of creation God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, ..." (Genesis 1.26) The next verse says, "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created him; male and female he created them." The fact that God spoke in the plural of "us" and "our" foreshadows later references to the Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. 

Jesus referred to the Trinity just prior to his ascension: "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the end of the age. (Matthew 28.19-20. Emphasis added. Cf. Acts 10.42. Also see 1John 3.23.) What were Jesus' commandments?

• "A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another, By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if  you love one another." (John 13.34. Also see John 14.15-17, 21, 15.10 & 14.) And how did Christ love us? With a self-sacrificing love (see John 3.16 & 13.4-5, Philippians 2.7-8). Christ's love is inclusive in that all are invited to faith in him and reconciliation with God through repentance and faith in Christ. People may not like you for bearing witness of Christ but they will know you are his disciples. Jesus said the greatest commandment is to love God with all our heart, soul and mind and to love our neighbour as yourself (Matthew 22.37-39).
• He told us to forgive one another (see Matthew 11.25 and Luke 11.4. Also see Ephesians 4.32 and Colossians 3.13).

From cover to cover the Bible tells of God's love for humanity and His desire for us to draw nearer to Him in holiness. This is done through a personal, daily relationship with Jesus Christ. And God also cares deeply about our relationships with others and how we live our lives morally.

There is no separation of the "spiritual Gospel" and the "social Gospel" as many Christians tried to maintain in recent decades. Read our Lord's words again from Matthew 22.37-39. 

It is within the tender but firm nurture of the Human Family under the lordship of Jesus Christ that humanity really thrives. We must answer Yes to Cain's ancient question "Am I my brother's keeper?" (Genesis 4.9)

Our King is Christ. Prepare yourselves fellow Christians to stand for Him against the tide of secularism that is sweeping across the land and permeating our schools, universities and even the halls of power. Our loyalty is to Christ not the pluralism that is dismantling all that previous generations held dear. Let us respectfully and with love stand in firm unison for Christ and a return to a Christian culture. Catholics and Evangelicals please stand together. The hour is late and darkness is descending. Let the light of Christ within you shine forth.

MDP