1 But the Spirit says expressly that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons, 2 through the hypocrisy of men who speak lies, branded in their own conscience as with a hot iron; 3 forbidding marriage and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. 4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be rejected, if it is received with thanksgiving. 5 For it is sanctified through the word of God and prayer.
Shame–the painful feeling arising from the consciousness of something dishonorable, improper, ridiculous, etc., done by oneself or another.
I’m not really sure when it began, as it has been a gradual thing, I’m sure. But like the slow removal of a grass stain from a teenager’s hack-around T-shirt, the impression has slowly been extracted from the conscience of America.
Whatever happened to shame?
I suppose some of it could be traced to Dr. Spock, as he is responsible for so much of what is wrong with child-rearing these days, or to Benjamin Bloom, and John Dewey, two acolytes-of-atheism, men who promoted the Humanistic ideals that have replaced Christianity as the bedrock of our educational system. “If it feels good, do it” has replaced “Thou shall not.”
But the bare boned bottom line is that the goal of “building self-esteem” in our young children required the elimination of any type of negative reinforcement and led to the development of the value system we now see permeating the American culture.
[…] “Everyone lies. We’re all sinners, Coach!” Well, I guess you’re right, but there was a time in America when you were taught to be ashamed of your sin. Sadly, those days have gone the way of sin-hating Christians.
“..I also practice ALWAYS having a conscience void of offense toward God and men.” – Paul (Acts 24:16)
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Text transcribed by Jeff Fenske from this video:
A Revival Account: Asbury 1970
Dennis Kinlaw, President of Asbury College (1970) recalls this amazing event.
“A format had been developed. It started in that opening chapel. A student would give his witness. He would tell about how God was dealing with him about sin in his life. He’d make his confession. And then he would tell how God had brought forgiveness to him, and restoration. Or how the need of his heart had been met—the spiritual need.
As he would speak, there would be somebody in the audience who would say, ‘that’s like me.’ And then that person would come under conviction and come forward and kneel at the altar.
So a pattern had been developed of testimony, of sharing. Then after the testimony, prayer, and after the prayer, singing and praise and adoration. And then more witnessing, sharing how God had met human need.” ________________
“I suppose I had been there about an hour when a young lady came up…and she walked back and knelt side of the seat where I was sitting, and looked up at me and said:
‘Dr. Kinlaw, may I talk with you?’
I said, ‘why yes.’
She said, ‘I need help…. I’m a liar’ [Dr. Kinlaw breaks up with emotion] Excuse me. Forgive me for a minute.
She said, ‘I lie so much, I don’t even know when I’m lying. I am a liar. Now what do I do?’
Well I sat there for a moment or two, and I had never said this to anybody else, but I looked at her and I said, ‘why don’t you start back to the last person you remember that you lied to. Confess it to that person, and ask him or her to forgive you.’
‘Oh,’ she said, ‘that would kill me.’
I said, ‘no, it would probably cure you.’ Three days later, she came to me radiant, and she said, ‘Dr. Kinlaw, I’m free!’
I said, ‘what do you mean, ‘you’re free.?’
She said, ‘I just hit my 34th person and I’m free’ [Kinlaw raises both hands in the air in the way she probably had]!
“God is love, and HE WHO REMAINS IN LOVE remains in God, and GOD REMAINS IN HIM. In this, love has been made perfect among us, that we may have BOLDNESS [‘confidence’ – NIV, ESV, NASB…] IN THE DAY of judgment, *because* AS HE IS, even SO ARE WE in this world.” – 1 John 4:16-17
