Three Women and the Unborn

One year ago, an article in the NY Times (https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/08/upshot/politicians-draw-clear-lines-on-abortion-their-parties-are-not-so-unified.html) showed that members of the two main political parties often hold differing views from their party platform regarding abortion. The article and others infer that the leading candidates usually line up with whatever view they believe will garner the most votes. I have to admit that I agree: Political candidates cater to the people and the more widespread the office, the more they cater in their desire to win votes.

Regarding abortion, I had held what I considered to be a rather strong, yet sympathetic, view: Abortion is wrong… but what about victims of rape, etc.? My view changed many years ago and it was not because of someone's preaching, a well written article, a powerful speech, or graphic images spread across the internet or television screen. Three people had the greatest impact on adjusting my view: My wife, my mom, and my grandmother (and grandfather).

All three of these women stand/stood 100% against abortions—ALL abortions. My dear wife is resolute because, as she will quickly and with unabating firmness point out: Abortion is, first and foremost, about the baby. Whatever the reasons of the mother (and there are some heartbreaking, horrific, and ungodly circumstances), the baby deserves to live.

My dear mother has made the same point. Growing up, she always taught us that "two wrongs don't make a right." That extended to the wrongs done to women, which can be of the most vile and unthinkable nature. They are not made right by committing further atrocities, in this case, taking the life of another human being, i.e. an unborn (or, nowadays, even a new-born) baby. I pray Mom will be able to continue sharing that conviction and love for all lives as long as the Lord allows her to live on this Earth. She is 91 years old as of this writing.

Then there is my Grandma Gantenbein. Her example speaks for itself. She was not a large woman. At least, she was not large physically. She also had her share of health problems. When Grandma and Grandpa had their first child, Aunt Dorothy, all went fairly well. But there were problems when Uncle Al was born and the doctor told my grandparents that they should not have any more children. When they found out Grandma was pregnant again, that doctor told them that they need to terminate the pregnancy because it could do great harm to Grandma and the baby, with death being a very real possibility. Grandma's response (echoed by Grandpa Gantenbein) was that they were going to leave that in God's hands and trust Him. Aunt Betty survived the birth as did Grandma. But, the doctor said, "No more children!" He told them it was a matter of life or death. When they refused to have an abortion in 1923, Uncle Don was born but the doctor was adamant about the loss of both the baby and Grandma if they had another. In 1924 the doctor did his best to talk them into terminating the fifth pregnancy. As before, my grandmother bore witness to God's sovereignty and affirmed that if she died, so be it, but that baby's life was sacred and she was going to do everything possible to allow it the opportunity to live. Whew! James Calvin, aka Dad, made it. To the extent it affected Grandma's longevity… maybe without the 3rd, 4th, and 5th child, she would have lived to be a miserable and self-centered old woman. Instead she passed away, full of joy and always proclaiming the love of God, at the tender age of 89, a little more than two months after her 13th grandchild and Cathy Lynn Van Scyoc were married. Her home church pastor, her fifth child, and her son in law officiated her service.

I am so glad for the examples and unwavering conviction of these three saints. I am here today, with a refined view of the issue, because of them.

Summer of 1965 – Myself, Grandma Gantenbein, Dad (James Calvin Gantenbein)

Now, the Southern Baptist Convention has before it a resolution to condemn all abortion. Clearly it would not be necessary if they had wives, mothers, and grandmothers like mine. I would remind others of what they reminded me: 1. It is about the innocent baby; 2. Two wrongs do not make a right; 3. You would not be here today if someone had not trusted God and stood up for what was right in His eyes.

Following is a link to a web site where you can read the SBC resolution and, if you choose, take your stand to protect the lives of the unborn and the conscience of those mothers who might otherwise choose to commit this sin for which you cannot not put the toothpaste back in the tube.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScgVHlX3klYqQthBEJ-6YGgANtFuNaLjYXiQ6loUzaHOLu8OA/viewform?fbzx=6859269257849298698&fbclid=IwAR0fXrOx_Rp8zPKxGA_RgTawrB_-p3olfow5kRkv9ZUN05NGQusMpOEwRB0

Almost a Nickel

If memory serves correctly (it still does once in a while), I have already posted my two cents worth regarding the current political melee. Since this is an additional comment on that subject, I figure I am up to "almost a nickel."

I have read or listened to many who are saying, in essence, that the only valid choice a biblical Christian has in this election is to vote for Trump. It is, at its bare bones, the insistence that no candidate is perfect but Trump will not do as much harm as Clinton so we are spiritually obligated to vote for him. The arguers of this stance even toss in scriptures, albeit none that specifically address the requirement to vote for the "lesser of two evils." However, they do postulate that their opinion is the authoritative word on the matter.

So, in an attempt to offer some balance, here are some scriptures to chew on ("meditate on" if that sounds more spiritual), beginning with three from Romans 14 (I am using different translations in an attempt to gain at least a measure of the criticism Rick Warren regularly receives.):

Romans 14:1 "Welcome those who are weak in faith, but do not argue with them about their personal opinions." (GNT)
Romans 14:4 "What right do you have to criticize someone else's servants? Only their Lord can decide if they are doing right, and the Lord will make sure that they do right." (CEV)
Romans 14:23 "Whatever does not proceed from faith is sin." (ESV)
1 Corinthians 3:18-20 "Don't fool yourself. Don't think that you can be wise merely by being up-to-date with the times. Be God's fool—that's the path to true wisdom. What the world calls smart, God calls stupid. It's written in Scripture, 'He exposes the chicanery of the chic. the Master sees through the smoke screens of the know-it-alls." (MSG)
1 Corinthians 10:31 "Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." (NIV)
2 Timothy 2:4 "As Christ's soldier, do not let yourself become tied up in worldly affairs, for then you cannot satisfy the one who has enlisted you in his army." (TLB)

What it boils down to, for me anyway, is this: I am seeking to be led by the Holy Spirit who convicts and convinces us of what is pleasing to God and I believe there are a lot of people trespassing on His territory.

P.S. Please, do not assume you know for whom I am or am not voting. This was not about the candidates at all but rather those who assume they are God's 2016 Presidential Election prophets.

The YMPCA?

One of the benefits of living in this area is the ability to pay dues at one YMCA but being able to use any of them in Kitsap and Pierce Counties. There are currently a total of twelve facilities including camps, family Ys, etc. By and large, most folks have their favorite and that is the one they use. We have enjoyed using the "Y" but are now rethinking our membership.

Recently, "to demonstrate our commitment to our transgender community", the YMCAs of Kitsap and Pierce Counties created a policy allowing people to use whatever locker room (shower, changing, etc.) they identified with in their minds. They want us to be assured that they are taking steps to keep any sex offenders from abusing this.

Really? Consider the following: 1. The policy was created in April and only made public very recently; 2. There is no way to keep all sex offenders from abusing it, only known convicted sex offenders; 3. When a church member inquired about it just yesterday, the person at the front desk said she did not know anything about it.

A person observing this might come to the conclusion that the acronym, YMCA (Young Men's Christian Association), has secretly added the letter "P" to the middle of it and changed the formal name to the Young Men's Politically Correct Association. The "M" has apparently become just a nod to the old days when the physical body and chromosomes identified a person's gender rather than the person's current feelings.

Folks were encouraged by the "Y" to send their responses, etc. so I sent the following to the person I believe is the President and CEO of the YMCAs for the two counties:

Dear Bob Ecklund,

Please, know that you are being prayed for during these sensitive times of establishing, refining, enforcing, etc. new policies that are affected by sexual identification/orientation at the YMCA. Navigating the various laws and varying moral standards from different groups at times seems to be a "no win" situation since you can not possibly please everyone.

As a local Pastor, I understand the desire to have those who come be a reflection of the community. In the past year or two, we have seen something I did not anticipate: Lesbian, gays, and unmarried couples with children have been coming to our church. Some come into the worship service and some tend to hover outside the auditorium. In some cases, life circumstances have brought them to the church rather than a thirst for God's truth. Whatever brings them, we recognize our responsibility to love them and teach them God's truth without compromise.

It is my prayer that you will lead the YMCA to continue to be a place open to all people but without being governed or manipulated by any standards other than those God has given us in His word, the Bible.

In His love,

Jim Gantenbein

Jim Gantenbein, Pastor

Kitsap Lake Baptist Church

5802 Wilmont St

Bremerton WA 98312

(360) 373-7728

Liberate Yourself Politically

The wonderful people of Kitsap Lake Baptist Church in Bremerton know that I try hard to keep politics out of what we do as God's people. As a rule, I do not discuss politics. There are more important things.

Many years ago, I made a decision: I will no longer be aligned with any political party. That decision has produced numerous benefits. Here are a few:

• I am free from "loyalty" to any political party or agenda.
• Distinctions between a conservative political view and a biblical view become much clearer.
• The responsibility God places upon His own people to repent appears much greater.
• There are more prayers "for" than "against" (things, people, etc.).
• I am more inclined to search through information on all the candidates and issues to see who supports God's views instead of a political stance.
• I care much more about God's truth and much less about worldly ideologies.
• National patriotism is always subject to and filtered through patriotism to God's kingdom.
• Arrogance cloaked in false piety is quickly evident and disgusting…especially in myself.
• The two greatest commandments are more in our heads than in our lives.
• Satan loves politics.

Bonus:

• My "non-alignment" has made my involvement more meaningful.

To Date, I Have a Problem

2012 Presidential front runners: 1. A cult member who also is pro-life and pro one-man, one-woman marriage; 2. a person who calls himself a Christian but is pro-choice and has stated his support for gay marriage.

So, why is this a problem for me?

1. The teachings of the cult (The Church of Jesus Christ Latter Day Saints) include that Jesus became a god, that Jesus and Lucifer are brothers, that God was once a man like me and became a god, that we can become gods, that Jesus and God are not One, that there are three different "heavens" and God is only in one of them, that there is not a literal hell and that all will be saved except for the few "sons of perdition" who will be punished for a time and them be annihilated, and a host of other teachings that are in direct contradiction to God's Word (the Bible) and stem from the other scriptures used by the Mormon church—specifically Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price—as well as teachings of the church leaders—"prophets"—throughout the history of the cult.

2. Nowhere in God's Word is abortion condoned under any circumstance while life is the creation of God and the very reason Jesus came (John 10:10). Nowhere in the Bible is any kind of marriage acknowledged except between a man and a woman and the sinful practice of homosexuality is recognized in the Bible, even specifically identified such as in Sodom. Additionally, gay and lesbian behavior is clearly condemned in both the Old and New Testaments (Leviticus 18:22; 20:13; Deuteronomy 23:17; Romans 1:24-27; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10; 1 Timothy 1:8-11; Jude 7).

On the one hand, a person who calls himself "Christian" but stands against the teachings of the Bible…well, if Jesus really is "Lord" (kurios: supreme in authority) of his life, then his life would reflect God's values and not those in opposition to the Bible.

On the other hand, a person who calls himself "Christian" but his Christ is a man-made, altered version the Christ of the Bible…well, he is following a false god and his election will only serve to confuse those weak and immature believers who do not perceive the difference between man's doctrines and God's.

I can not and will not vote for someone who supports the notion that murdering a baby is okay and places perversion on the same pedestal as holy matrimony. I can not and will not vote for a polygamist who worships a false god and diminishes my Savior, Jesus Christ. I will not even appear to validate a pagan religion.

God called me to be a minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ and that gospel impacts souls for all eternity. That has, does, and will always take precedence over the privilege and responsibility of being a patriot citizen. I am to regard the eternal as infinitely more important than the temporal.

It would be better for the United States of America—with all the freedoms, privileges, wealth, and other advantages—to cease to exist than for the gospel of Jesus Christ to be diminished, weakened, confused, changed, or otherwise denigrated. Countries/nations are of the earth and, therefore, are ultimately worldly, carnal, and temporary. The kingdom of God is eternal. Placing more importance on the physical world (and our elections do that very thing) than the spiritual is not of God but a "scheme of the devil" (see Ephesians 6:10) and we must stand firm against it (not just try to survive it). Murdering innocent unborn babies and endorsing or engaging in homosexuality are disgusting and sickening sins to me, personally. Yet, murderers and sexual deviants who turn to and believe in God will be given eternal life. Good, honest, decent, and moral people who never believe in the one true God will enter into eternal condemnation because they have not believed in the only Son of God (John 3:18).

Please, note that I am not insisting on a perfect candidate. They do not exist. That is not because they are politicians but because they are people and "all have sinned." But I seek a candidate who is "a man after God's own heart" rather than after the heart of people.

So, what will I do this election? I will seek to find a write-in who really does seek to follow the one true God. If that search fails, I may not cast a vote at all. LIke others, I am not voting for a pastor, but, apart from a clear word from God to the contrary, I will not vote for either of the two leading candidates.