Welcome to A Christian Manifesto Today episode #30. My name is Daniel Whyte III, president of Torch Leadership Foundation.
Pastor and Christian philosopher, Francis A. Schaeffer, warned us and created the war plan that we as Christians need today to deal with a society that is increasingly moving away from God, the Bible, and moral principles. He wrote “A Christian Manifesto” 33 years ago and its words are just as relevant today as they were back then.
Our Christian Manifesto Today Passage from the Word of God today is Acts 3:19, which reads: “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.”
Our Christian Manifesto Today quote today is from Colin S. Smith. He said: “Human life is created in God’s image, and that makes it sacred.”
In this podcast, we are using as our text: “A Christian Manifesto” by Francis A. Schaeffer.
Dr. Francis A. Schaeffer writes on “Revival, Revolution, and Reform” (Part 3):
Finney in his book Systematic Theology on page 158 has a heading: “I propose now to make several remarks respecting forms of government, the right and duty of revolution.” Do note his phrase “The right and duty of revolution.” On page 162 he says: “There can scarcely be conceived a more abominable and fiendish maxim than ‘our country right or wrong.’” He then goes on to stress that not everything the government does is to be supported, and he includes the Mexican War and slavery. On page 157 he says: “Arbitrary legislation can never be really obligatory.”
And we must not forget that Jonathan Kaufman was right when he wrote in the Wall Street Journal: “…[it was the] Great Religious Awakening two and one half centuries ago that helped sow the seeds of the American Revolution….”
Our evangelical leadership seems to have forgotten its heritage. When the book and film series Whatever Happened to the Human Race? came out we observed something very instructive. The call for a public stand against abortion, infanticide euthanasia, and against the general eradication of the unique dignity and worth of all human beings was not widely accepted at first. Many of the evangelical leadership either were totally silent about abortion, or qualified what they did say about abortion to such an extent that they really said nothing, or less than nothing, as far as the battle for human life was concerned.
The seminars for Whatever Happened to the Human Race? were marvelous seminars certainly. My wife and I both agree we have never seen people go out of seminars or meetings so committed to action. People went out from those seminars and there was a change. Prior to that, to our shame, across the United States and Great Britain as well, there were very, very few evangelicals involved in the movement against abortion. We had left it to the Roman Catholics to such an extent that the battle for human life was being lost by the simple tactic of its being called “a Roman Catholic issue.” After this project, happily, there were more evangelicals who saw the importance of the issue of human life and bringing the Lordship of Christ concerning law into this very important area.
Lord willing, we will continue looking at the topic of Revival, Revolution, and Reform in our next episode.
Let’s Pray.
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Dear friend, if you are listening today, and you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour, allow me to show you how:
First, accept the fact that you are a sinner, and that you have broken God’s law. The Bible says in Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”
Second, accept the fact that there is a penalty for sin. The Bible states in Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death…”
Third, accept the fact that you are on the road to hell. Jesus Christ said in Matthew 10:28: “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” Also, the Bible states in Revelation 21:8: “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”
Now this is bad news, but here’s the good news. Jesus Christ said in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Just believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried, and rose from the dead by the power of God for you so that you can live eternally with Him. Pray and ask Him to come into your heart today, and He will.
Romans 10:9-13 says, “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. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
Until next time, my friend, continue to stand for the Lord and his Word. God bless you!
A Christian Manifesto Today 