Kaleo, Kids, Culture, and The Kingdom

Cultures can be judged in many ways, but eventually every nation in every age must be judged by this test: how did it treat people?

Each generation, each wave of humanity, evaluates its predecessors on this basis. The final measure of mankind’s humanity is how humanely people treat one another.

On a humanistic base, which is the idea that men and women can begin from themselves and derive the standards by which to judge all matters, people drift along from generation to generation, and the morally unthinkable becomes the thinkable as the years move on. In this view, there are no fixed standards of behavior, no standards that cannot be destroyed or replaced by newer, more pragmatic, expedient, and even fashionable standards which come and go.

What you and I regard as thinkable and unthinkable in our time regarding how we view and treat human life has changed drastically. American medical schools at the time of their commencement would have their graduates take a “Hippocratic Oath”, which goes back 2,000 years. The stated “I will maintain the utmost respect for human life from the time of conception.” This concept of the preservation of human life was the basis of the medical profession and society. It’s significant that when the University of Pittsburgh changed from the Hippocratic Oath to the Declaration of Geneva in 1971, the students deleted “from the time of conception” from the beginning. It became “I will maintain the utmost respect for human life.” This left the student to determine what “human” was and when it began.

The idea of “personhood” has been a complex debate over the years. What makes someone a “person?” How should we define “personality?” How should we treat each “person?” Who or what is the standard by which to judge what is or is not a “person?”

This is not a new debate or discussion, especially in the area of the personhood of the unborn/infants/children.

Roman Empire and children

For instance, throughout the Roman Empire in was common for children to be viewed as insignificant, without personality until one is given by the parents, without value unless the parents placed value on them, and so children were treated accordingly and when unwanted would be severely beaten and even tossed out into the dung and garbage heap to either die or be taken by someone and used for their purposes (which included slavery, prostitution, gladiators, etc.).

Infant mortality was so high that only about half of the children lived to their fifth birthday, and less than forty percent lived until their twentieth birthday. You would need to have five children to raise two until they were twenty. A family would wait to give a name to the child (which corresponded to value in this culture) until the child was 8 or 9 days old.
Poor families would often have children so they could help the family earn income and care for them when they grew old. Killing an infant was common, especially if the child was disabled or the wrong gender (girls). They would take their children out to the desert and leave them, throw them in a river tied to a rock, and even suffocate them at the hands of the parents. There was an antiquated form of contraception and abortions in a variety of forms. As a matter of fact the concept of adoption as Paul uses it in the NT, is the adoption of these babies that were rescued by Christians that felt the practice was appalling. Sort of the first “Pro-Lifers.”

Children who are at the mercy of a non-Judeo/Christian base have always been seen in this fashion by the culture looking towards personal affluence and convenience, rather than God’s glory as the standard and meaning of life.

In agricultural societies it benefited couples to have many children to use them as cheap labor. When industrial revolution hit, this view switched children from the fields to the machines. Since then, in the wake of child labor laws, children have become expendable, and have been viewed either as an object of the idolatrous cult of youth, or a nuisance to our personal aspirations and goals.

Either understanding of children is unbiblical. They are not a commodity to use, or a god to idolize. They are part of God’s whole, yet they are a tremendous gift of God that parents are blessed with, and have a responsibility to bring up in the fear and admonition of the Lord.

Children are to seen as a blessing because they represent the future generation of the Kingdom of God. If we are truly to be “Fruitful and multiply,” then we must see the need for our children, and that they are a blessing, yet they need to be shaped into godly individuals worthy to advance the kingdom of God in a dying world.

Survival of the fittest and Darwinian thought

Darwin postulated “survival of the fittest,” meaning that only the fittest will survive. Really what he meant was that only the fittest should survive.

When man is viewed as the product of time and chance without an infinite and personal integration point- namely God, then meaning and purpose, personality and personhood, humanity and humanness, are not necessary discussions because what is most important is the continuance of the species, not the respect and dignity of the individual.

Malthusian Eugenics

Thomas Malthus was a political economist that was concerned about, what he saw as, the decline of living conditions in nineteenth century England. He blamed this decline on three elements: The overproduction of young; the inability of resources to keep up with the rising human population; and the irresponsibility of the lower classes. To combat this, Malthus suggested the family size of the lower class ought to be regulated such that poor families do not produce more children than they can support. Does this sound familiar? China has implemented a policy of one child per family (though this applies to all families, not just those of the lower class).

Darwin in his autobiography of 1876 wrote: “In October 1838, that is, fifteen months after I had begun my systematic inquiry, I happened to read for amusement Malthus on Population, and being well prepared to appreciate the struggle for existence which everywhere goes on from long- continued observation of the habits of animals and plants, it at once struck me that under these circumstances favourable variations would tend to be preserved, and unfavourable ones to be destroyed. The results of this would be the formation of a new species. Here, then I had at last got a theory by which to work”.

Margaret Sanger and Planned Parenthood

Margaret Sanger aligned herself with the eugenicists whose ideology prevailed in the early 20th century. Eugenicists strongly espoused racial supremacy and “purtiy”,” particularly of the “Aryan” race. Eugenicists hoped to purify the bloodlines and improve the race by encouraging the “fit” to reproduce and the “unfit” to restrict their reproduction. They sought to contain the “inferior” races through segregation, sterilization, birth control and abortion.
Sanger embraced Malthusian eugenics. Malthus condemned charities and other forms of benevolence, because he believed they only exacerbated the problems. His answer was to restrict population growth of certain groups of people. His theories of population growth and economic stability became the basis for national and international social policy. Grant quotes from Malthus’ magnum opus, An Essay on the Principle of Population, published in six editions from 1798 to 1826:
All children born, beyond what would be required to keep up the population to a desired level, must necessarily perish, unless room is made for them by the deaths of grown persons. We should facilitate, instead of foolishly and vainly endeavoring to impede, the operations of nature in producing this mortality.
Malthus disciples believed if Western civilization were to survive, the physically unfit, the materially poor, the spiritually diseased, the racially inferior, and the mentally incompetent had to be suppressed and isolated–or even, perhaps, eliminated. His disciples felt the subtler and more “scientific” approaches of education, contraception, sterilization and abortion were more “practical and acceptable ways” to ease the pressures of the alleged overpopulation.
Despite the falsehoods of Malthus’ overpopulation claims, Sanger nonetheless immersed herself in Malthusian eugenics. Grant wrote she argued for birth control using the “scientifically verified” threat of poverty, sickness, racial tension and overpopulation as its background. Sanger’s publication, The Birth Control Review (founded in 1917) regularly published pro-eugenic articles from eugenicists, such as Ernst Ruin. Although Sanger ceased editing The Birth Control Review in 1929, the ABCL continued to use it as a platform for eugenic ideas.
Sanger built the work of the ABCL, and, ultimately, Planned Parenthood, on the ideas and resources of the eugenics movement. Eugenicists financed the early projects, from the opening of birth control clinics to the publishing of “revolutionary” literature. Eugenicists comprised the speakers at conferences, authors of literature and the providers of services “almost without the exception.” And Planned Parenthood’s international work was originally housed in the offices of the Eugenics Society. The two organizations were intertwined for years.
The ABCL became a legal entity on April 22, 1922, in New York. Before that, Sanger illegally operated a birth control clinic in October 1916, in the Brownsville section of Brooklyn, New York, which eventually closed. The clinic serviced the poor immigrants who heavily populated the area–those deemed “unfit” to reproduce.
Sanger’s early writings clearly reflected Malthus’ influence. She writes:
Organized charity itself is the symptom of a malignant social disease. Those vast, complex, interrelated organizations aiming to control and to diminish the spread of misery and destitution and all the menacing evils that spring out of this sinisterly fertile soil, are the surest sign that our civilization has bred, is breeding and perpetuating constantly increasing numbers of defectives, delinquents and dependents.
Despite a range of public policies designed to protect and nurture children, ranging from compulsory public education to protection from abuse and neglect, Americans seem willing to overlook the spiritual development of children. The research discovered that tens of millions of parents are satisfied by simply enrolling their children in church programs; they demonstrate little concern about the quality or effectiveness of those experiences.

We view stories of the Roman Empire and their treatment of children as a nuisance or without inherit meaning or value as barbaric and outdated. But we still kill children, refuse to recognize their value, and throw them out in the garbage heaps in the back of Planned Parenthood clinics.

This is quite different than the view that God has of the children He created for His glory.

Children have significance and purpose as we are called as a people to fulfill God’s great purpose of the cultural mandate.
Cultural Mandate

Genesis 1:26-28 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28 God blessed them; and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
Here we see that God had a discussion within the Trinity- and He made a decision: “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness.” This was God’s original intention: to make human beings in His own image. And He blessed human beings and made them His “vice-regents” - that is, His co-rulers over His creation with authority given by Him to act in His name and in His stead. And He instructed human beings, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion” over all the creatures of the earth. We are, in effect, God’s junior partners. He has given us the responsibility to have dominion and sovereignty over all the earth in the name of the living God.
That mandate is still in force today. As the vice-regents of God, we are to bring His truth and His will to bear on every sphere of our world and our society. We are to exercise godly dominion and influence over our neighborhoods, our schools, our government, our literature and arts, our sports arenas, our entertainment media, our news media, our scientific endeavors - in short, over every aspect and intrusion of human society.
God commanded us to advance - and we have disobediently retreated. Instead of exercising dominion in the name of God, we have abdicated and relegated this world to the control of the dark and bloody god of this world, Satan. In so doing, we have robbed God of His rightful glory in the world He has made.
Created with significance in meaning and created for purpose
Isaiah 43:7 Everyone who is called by My name, And whom I have created for My glory, Whom I have formed, even whom I have made.”

God’s Sovereignty in conception, birth and salvation

Jeremiah 1:5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, And before you were born I consecrated you; I have appointed you a prophet to the nations.”

Psalms 139:13 For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb.

God knew us before we were born. God’s plan included our birth and even our salvation:

Ephesians 1:4-5 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,

2 Timothy 1:9 who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began,

We are known by God before our birth, and we are chosen and adopted by God before time and this world began.

God is the one to decide who lives and dies because he is the author of life. He is the creator of the creature and gives the trust of life. The bible speaks of our time being “appointed” (Hebrews 9:27).

Our attempts to be God in deciding the worth and value of individuals, our attempts to be the measure of all things including God, is an insult to the God of Scripture.

God gives meaning because He is the author of meaning. God gives purpose because it is His purpose to create us. God gives dignity because every man is created in the image of God and is therefore valuable as an image reflector of God’s glory. Whether or not man lives to that end does not nullify the clear truth of it.

We may not want to ascribe “personhood” or “value” to a child in the womb, but the Bible has no problem viewing a child in the womb as a child…

The child in the womb is a child

Matthew 1:18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: when His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit.

Luke 1:41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

Not only does God view children in the womb as true children, he also views the children being born as His divine gift and blessing to man…

Children are a gift of the LORD

Psalms 127:1-5 A Song of Ascents, of Solomon. Unless the LORD builds the house, They labor in vain who build it; Unless the LORD guards the city, The watchman keeps awake in vain. 2 It is vain for you to rise up early, To retire late, To eat the bread of painful labors; For He gives to His beloved even in his sleep. 3 Behold, children are a gift of the LORD, The fruit of the womb is a reward. 4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, So are the children of one’s youth. 5 How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them; They will not be ashamed When they speak with their enemies in the gate.

Psalms 128:1-6 A Song of Ascents. How blessed is everyone who fears the LORD, Who walks in His ways. 2 When you shall eat of the fruit of your hands, You will be happy and it will be well with you. 3 Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine Within your house, Your children like olive plants Around your table. 4 Behold, for thus shall the man be blessed Who fears the LORD. 5 The LORD bless you from Zion, And may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life. 6 Indeed, may you see your children’s children. Peace be upon Israel!

God not only sees a child as a gift, He also is seeking Godly offspring for Himself…

God is seeking Godly offspring

Malachi 2:15 Did he not make them one, with a portion of the Spirit in their union? And what was the one God seeking? Godly offspring. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and let none of you be faithless to the wife of your youth.

How are 30 year old single men without children to view kids? Let’s look at Jesus example.

Children are an example for us

Matthew 18:3 and said, “Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 19:13-14 Then some children were brought to Him so that He might lay His hands on them and pray; and the disciples rebuked them. 14 But Jesus said, “Let the children alone, and do not hinder them from coming to Me; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”

Matthew 21:15-16 But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that He had done, and the children who were shouting in the temple, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they became indignant 16 and said to Him, “Do You hear what these children are saying?” And Jesus *said to them, “Yes; have you never read, ‘OUT OF THE MOUTH OF INFANTS AND NURSING BABIES YOU HAVE PREPARED PRAISE FOR YOURSELF’?”

Mark 9:36-37 Taking a child, He set him before them, and taking him in His arms, He said to them, 37 “Whoever receives one child like this in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me does not receive Me, but Him who sent Me.”

Kaleo, Kids, the Kingdom and our Culture

Jeremiah 29:4-9 “Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon, 5 ‘Build houses and live in them; and plant gardens and eat their produce. 6 ‘Take wives and become the fathers of sons and daughters, and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; and multiply there and do not decrease. 7 ‘Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf; for in its welfare you will have welfare.’ 8 “For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, ‘Do not let your prophets who are in your midst and your diviners deceive you, and do not listen to the dreams which they dream. 9 ‘For they prophesy falsely to you in My name; I have not sent them,’ declares the LORD

God’s people were in Jerusalem and He decides to send them into exile in a foreign land which is Babylon. Is Babylon a good or bad city? Bad!

Babylon is a city where the ruler thinks he’s God. In their schools they’re studying paganism, witchcraft, divination, sorcery, magic spells, demonism, just like San Diego schools! Just kidding…kind of.

They are a corrupt people that hate the true God of Israel. How does God send missionaries into parts of the world in the Old Testament to bring the good news of God and His true reign? By sending His people into exile, just like he sent them to Babylon.

How did God send Jonah to Nineveh (which is Mosul in Iraq) instead of letting him go to Tarshish (which is southern Spain)? By sending a great storm that was about to flip over the boat until those on board realized it was the God of Jonah that was about to kill all of them and they chucked Jonah overboard and he was swallowed by a great fish and puked up on the shore after three days and got the hint that God wanted to save the Ninevites.

How does God send missionaries into Egypt? Slavery! God has a way of getting His people who refuse to speak to people that don’t know Him into the land and lives of those people in very creative and sometimes painful ways.

Who brought them into Babylon in exile? God did. Who brought you to San Diego? God did. It is no accident you were born when you were born, it is no accident that you live where you live, it is no accident that you are in exile in San Diego where there are 3 million people and many of those don’t know and trust Jesus as their King and savior, and it is no accident you are here this morning hearing this message.

Imagine living here in sunny San Diego, where you are blessed beyond measure, and one day we’re taken over by a military power and brought into Syria or Iran and treated as less than humans and yet called to be salt and light to those people.

So, since God has called you and sent you here as a missionary in exile, you need to settle down and love this city. This is why God tells them to build houses and plant gardens. In other words- get used to being here for a while because you are. Settle down. God has a plan.

Is this an easy task? No! Is it the cultural mandate? Yes. Many of you think that just because you’re a Christian, you’re done. Some of you have 50 or 60 years left, do you want to do something with those days? God does. Settle down, stop complaining about where you live and how much it costs, if you can’t buy a home in San Diego, rent one. No matter where you go, you’re always going to be in exile so get used to it!

God desire to have the gospel advance and His Kingdom is pronounced and spread its reign on earth. He calls us to participate in His great commission and see that we build a different culture. It’s not just a counter culture it’s a Kingdom culture. We are seeing children born in our church because God is advancing His plan. We are seeing couples married here because God is bringing two people into one and then blessing their lives and spreading His Kingdom through children. This is why the way we raise our children is so important because just having children is not honoring to God. He’s looking for Godly offspring, that is children that honor and glorify Him.

Are we training up our kids and are we concerned for the welfare of our grandkids? Most of us have no desire or plan for our children’s children. I pray for Michael’s future wife and kids, and Madison’s future husband and kids. Fools think from day to day, wise people consider their life as a legacy for God and desire the well being of their grandkids.

We are to increase and not decrease. What two religions are outpacing us in this country? Islam and Mormanism. How? Through their offspring. Give them 3 or 4 generations at this pace and they will outnumber us. Who is going to plant churches in 50 years? Who is going to preach the gospel? Who is going to see that God is glorified in those generations?

If you are single and without a plan, your name, God’s name through the heritage that you were supposed to advance is finished when you die.

How do we care for the welfare of our city? Do we pray for our city? Do we consider it our business to see it prosper and care for its welfare? Do we think that our children are going to advance this cause? If not, why?

Are we supposed to listen to our false prophets of our day that tell us that children are a curse and not a blessing? No!!!! Listen to God.